My Story
I'm a firm believer of infinite possibilities and when it comes to health there's no exception. My devotion to health started two years ago, through random events in my life, I was introduced to the work of Phil Maffetone. Phil Maffetone is renown for his optimal health and he teaches how one is able to recognize problems before they start to make the appropriate adjustments to maintain a healthy lifestyle. His book, "The Big Book of Endurance," has been my personal fitness and health bible. It was a recommended reading by my Chiropractor Kinesiologist in Albuquerque, Randy Hutchins. At the time I was training for a half marathon and a sprint distance triathlon. I had a business at the time and was putting in about 75-85 hours of work and on top of that my training. I bonked, and even though I looked good, I had a hard time with keeping up with training. I lived with the "no pain no gain" attitude.
I was preparing for a the Warrior Dash sprint Triathlon and although I finished in 1 hour and 11 minutes. I was wasted beyond comprehension. It was at the time I was referred to Randy Hutchins by a friend so I scheduled my appointment. His office is in the Cedar Crest area in Albuquerque and what he had to say in put a dent in my ego. He told me to stop running and training, because I was dehydrated and my adrenal function was not optimal. I also had a slight bladder infection. He found all this by touching certain points int he body and waving his hand in the air as if he was an orchestra conductor. I didn't know what he meant, adrenal function, what is that? He uses applied Kinesiology which is a form of of alternative medicine that measures chemical, mental and physiological aspects of the body. I didn't have an issue listening to what he had to say, because he took the time to try to diagnose my problems, versus a traditional Doctor would simply treat the symptom with meds which I absolutely hate. My treatment was simple: Walk for one month, purchase a simple heart-rate monitor, take a few tabs a salt a day, and look into Phil Maffetone.
So I listened to him for one month. I didn't have time to do my usual research and study and Phil Maffetone was next on my list. As anyone would, I would turn to magazines, blogs and peers for my training and dieting. For that one month, I didn't I didn't turn to my usual sources of health, so I just started walking for my training and took a few tabs of sea salt a day. Let me explain the salt. My Chiropractor told me I was drinking way too much water and flushing out my electroytes without restoring them, which is imparing my adrenal function. He recommended to me to stay away from all energy drinks and just drink water as I was but take a few pinches of celtic sea-salt throughout the day. Because I was working too much along with training, he also recommended to reduce my training time. I wasn't resting enough to help my body recover and continue my heavy work life. "Too much stress can and will impair your over health," he told me. So I listened.
In the Beginning
I was always a runner since in early age, but I was diagnosed having plantar fascitis in my years in High school so I stopped running. I was a pretty decent runner and exceled in cross country. I remember when I was 16 years old and I had so much pain in my feet, sometimes I couldn't get up in the morning or even walk. I didn't know what was wrong with me, much less the doctors didn't even attempt to diagnose the problem, but just told me I was the problem and the way I run is the real issue. I didn't believe that, but I couldn't help to feel helpless and destroyed. I was fitted for orthotics and there were the worst experience I could ever imagine. I felt like I was an old man at the age of 16. So I decided that running and sports wasn't for me. As much as I loved it, I couldn't because of my "disability." A few years later I would become really good friends with someone I worked with and we would work out together and I took up basketball. Although I could play it was still painful, but I did not want to stop, until I couldn't due to the pain and I was forced to stop. I just continued to work out and work out hard. Although I was in good physical shape I really didn't feel good, and a car accident during that time left my back a mess.
Training for the Race and the Race...
My training leading up to the Triathlon was slightly successful since I wasn't having pain as I did during my late teens and early 20's. I purchased some pretty slick asics and although I was imformed I over-pronated I was recommended the frankestein of running shoes. "Oh, well, if it helps its better than the pain." I felt pretty good and with cross training with cycling and swimming, I felt it contributed to keeping the pain in control. With work and Training I was sleeping on an average of 4 hours. I was excited for the race and to me it was "hell or high water" I'm going to race no matter how I felt.
The day prior to the race I was having some pain issues on my leg and I was worried. I ate a hefty "carb-loaded" dinner and went to sleep early. We got the event, setup our bikes and I took a pre game dump. It was still quite early so I went and took a nap. A half-hour before the race I started to warm up with a slight jog and I didn't feel the pain. I was good to go.
As we line up at the starting line, I was just focused on the run and get a good start. As the horn blew I quickly moved to the outside to avoid the crowd. I felt good and and strong. Midway through the run I felt sluggish all of a sudden. I didn't know what it was. I started to shake, but I ignored it and continued my run. As I entered into the transition I figured I would feel a little better on the bike. I got on my bike and started to pedal confidentaly and strong. Not even a 1/4 mile on the bike I couldn't pedal as strong and I had to hold back and go slower, but I continued to push. It wasn't until the hills I felt I needed to stop, I almost threw up but I didn't allow myself to. I continued to push and I felt that I could not and would not stop or give up. This happened at least 3 times. As I pull into the transition area for the final swim, I was so tired and exhausted that I couldn't unstrap my shoes and I was approaching I fell. I heard my friends in the background and I hear my buddy yell "good dismount," lol that a**hole. I couldn't help but laugh and away I went for the swim which was indoors. I literally flopped my way to the finish line. I get out of the pool, wasted, exhausted and shaking as if I was locked out in the cold. My official time was 1:11:32. I felt disappointed since I knew I could have done better. I was hard on myself.
Walking
Now that I saw Mr. Hutchins and he gave me some things to do, I was on my first walk. I decided to walk for an hour. I never have gone on a walk before, I always viewed it as something old people do. Young people run, old people walk. If you have ever been in New Mexico, you will know there are some amazing skylines in the evening. As I was walking I totally forgot about the worries in my life. I was really enjoying the moment, at one point I had to stop and just stare at the skyline, because it was stunningly beautiful. With all the times I ran, I never enjoyed it as much as I did walking that day. I walked 5 days a week with 2 days off for rest. The first month of walking was a breeze and I felt much better than I felt previously.
I went back to see Mr. Hutchins and he conducted his examination and noted that my adrenal functions were good. I asked when I could run again, he told me to walk for two weeks and get a heart-rate monitor and stay within my bpm range of 139-149. I didn't undersatnd, but he recommended I read about Phil Maffetone. So I did.
The Maffetone Way
The Maffetone way is a hard pill to swallow. It's nothing what I was accustomed to in conventional thought for training and dieting and lifestyle. You literally need to forget everything you know about health, fitness and training and act as if you know nothing.
My impatience impaired me improving using the Maffetone method 3 times and I would turn back to my old habits to repair what I thought was damaged.
I was on schedule for an Olympic distance Triathlon and I was utilizing some methods of Phil Maffetone, but I thought myself clever to mix and match what I liked and what I didn't like. It wasn't until I was on my Saturday bike ride. I was riding with a very close friend of mine and we decided to bike on the Sandia Mountain foothills and ride up to the Tram station. As we return back down the hill, I started to pedal quite fast. I got up to 35 mph, and it was at the point I decided to slow down. It wasn't until a bend in the road where I lost control of my bike. I veered off the road and hit the edge of a ditch and I literally flew 50 feet from the point of impact. I landed on my head and felt a big crunch in my back. I luckily landed on some native new mexican thorn bush and I knew I broke my back. It's really amazing to think that in a few seconds my life would change dramatically.
Roasting in the sun while I await for the ambulance, my back was on fire. I knew for sure my back was broken. Luckily after 8 hours in the ER, I had no signs of breakage or fractures. I was informed I would be fine and to get up slowly. As painful as it was, I got myself up and started to walk. After waiting 2 hours for the nurse to remove the IV from my arm. I removed it myself and I escorted myself out the hospital where I waited for my friends to pick me up.
Startin Over
As I began my recovery, I started to closely read and examine Dr. Maffetones methods and philosophy on training and health. At that point I decided to forget what I know and start over with a blank slate. As tough as it was, I made the decision and would stick to the ideology of optimal health.
Dr. Maffetone's are unconventional and even to this day where more and more people are becoming concerned with health and even more so with food. His views methods are rarely talked about, because people, I think, still want the quick fix answers to health, fitness and training.
I will write about my methods on approaching the Maffetone's Way and now I feel I'm on my way to better health. I will journal my training session as I will begin to train for the Tough Mudder In Colorado in June, 2012.
So I hope you enjoy the ride and any comments are welcome. Just don't be rude and disrespectful.
-Ramsses
