Hashemian Blog
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Friday, October 28, 2005
Heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and orthotics
Well, the half marathon I ran a couple of weeks ago was not as simple as it seemed at first. A couple of days after the event, I started to notice sharp pain in my left heel and pretty much the bottom of my feet. as a jogger, there is always some sort of discomfort that must be dealt with. I'm not exactly light-weight, so I'm realistic about this fact. But the heel pain was beginning to interfere with my activity and I couldn't have that.
As easy and straight-forward as it seems, there is a certain amount of focus and concentration that is required when jogging or running. When your focus is disrupted by a pain like this one, the whole experience of jogging becomes a torment. Worse, I would experience the pain if I put any pressure on my feet, like when walking or standing.
Having a low tolerance to pain, one of my wife's favorite points of mocking me, I began to search for a cure, and fast. searching Google revealed a condition known as plantar fasciitis that seemed to match my symptoms. the condition, prevalent amongst runners, is generally caused by damaging and tearing connective tissues in the foot. the recommended treatments mentioned were heel cups, orthotics, and night splints.
Several years ago feeling a sharp pain in the middle of my foot while running, I had visited my podiatrist and had received a pair of orthotics. Hard to believe, but they helped with the pain from the first use. I continued to use them until about six months ago when I bought new jogging shoes that seemed to provide sufficient arch support, so I abandoned the orthotics. Could they help with this new pain? Having few options, I decided to give them a try and I was incredulous at the huge reduction in pain.
being flat-footed, as I am, is a pain, literally. The good news is that there are effective treatments to mitigate the pain. in my case orthotics have been the answer. Most insurance companies don't cover the cost of medically prescribed orthotics, but they provide the best support. At around $400, they are not cheap, but to me they are priceless. I know I will never run again without them.
<Heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and orthotics>
// posted by rh
Monday, October 17, 2005
Court of religion
So it has come to this. The president nominates a high court judge based on religious beliefs. Religious studies could soon supplant real science in schools under the guise of "intelligent design". Suddenly it feels like we're back in the middle ages. Soon scientists would have to retract centuries of science and pronounce the Sun as the center of universe and the Earth as a flat surface. Big bang theory? Forget it. Earth and everything else was created in six days or whatever length some religious book claims it to be. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but once the door is opened who knows where this process would lead.
These are strange times indeed. From one side the world is under attack by self-righteous terrorists, and from the other by the, well, self-righteous theocrats. In the middle is everything countless numbers of scientists, engineers, and intellectuals have done to enlighten the world. This is nothing new. Religion has always attempted to suppress free thought and expression. The innate desire to understanding ourselves and the universe we live in runs counter to religious dogma. Step out of bounds, and you are accused of heresy.
The other day I was listening to a radio program extolling the virtues of religion. The speaker was trying his utmost to dismiss science because it hasn't addressed so many unanswered questions. Instead the listeners were advised to find their answers in the Bible. I might find such assertions ludicrous, but an impressionable mind might be easily swayed.
No, I am not anti-religion, but I am a staunch believer in the separation of church and state. People should be given the freedom to believe or disbelieve. Picking judges based on their religious views and teaching religion in science courses might be fine in Vatican, but they shouldn't be tolerated in a free society.
religion,intelligent design,supreme court,miers,creationism,bible
<Court of religion>
// posted by rh
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Checkfree vaporware
Online payment. It's one of those conveniences afforded to us courtesy of the Internet. I still write checks now and then, but most of the time I opt for the electronic equivalent to make bill payments or send money to individuals. I'm certainly not alone in that respect.
Sending funds electronically has its advantages. So does receiving funds electronically. I also opt for electronic deposits any chance I get. No more waiting for payments to arrive by mail, lost payments, or waiting for funds to clear. That is why I was happy to see Checkfree (a major payment processor for many banks) was offering free electronic deposits for individuals.
I do receive occasional payments from a few people for various reasons, and those payments that are sent electronically generally arrive in my mailbox as Checkfree checks. A couple of months ago I noticed a statement on a Checkfree envelope inviting users to register for electronic deposits via yes.checkfree.com. promptly I went to the site, gave them a ton of private information (you know, name, address, social security number, bank account info, etc.), and submitted the page.
The site promised to send me a confirmation email, and then the Checkfree electronic deposits would begin. Well after two months that confirmation email hasn't arrived and the payments are still coming as checks via regular mail. Inquisitive, I sent Checkfree an email asking for an explanation.
Here's the answer I received:
Good Morning Robert,
Due to the overwhelming response to this service, we have had system issues activating enrollments. We still do not have a date for activation. We are working on this issue and hope to have it resolved quickly. I do apologize for the inconvenience.
Thank you,
Lisa
Now I can understand that these things sometimes happen. System glitches and bugs are a part of my everyday work too. But couldn't they tell me that before I wasted my time on their site submitting all kinds of private information? Worse yet, the registration page is still alive and still not a word about this issue. The above email reply is from a month ago and I still have no electronic deposit service. I am beginning to wonder if this service is not just vaporware, but a ruse to collect personal data.checkfree,electronic deposit,online payment,vaporware
<Checkfree vaporware>
// posted by rh
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Half marathon, the event
Having gone through a personal defeat last weekend (not being able to jog the entire self-designated course), I was apprehensive about the race. I was fairly confident that I would finish it, the question was whether I would be able to jog the entire 13.1-mile length.
With the race being on Sunday, I did my last regular jog on Thursday and then put away my running shoes until the day of the race. Many people train for such events, but not me. I'm just not much into schedules and regiments. I jog regularly, but never clock my speed or distance. My diet is relatively healthy, but I eat just about anything I crave. And there is the bad habit of smoking one cigarette a day. I had resolved to quit that for about a week prior to the event, but then I decided to abandon the plan. I enjoy the occasional tobacco buzz as much as I enjoy jogging. For me to function right, I need to have both habits coexist peacefully. This has worked for me for many years, and i wasn't about to sacrifice one for the other.
Yesterday (the day before the race), I loaded up on pasta (some self-invented meal consisting of angel air, tuna, olive oil, and mayonnaise). Actually I wasn't feeling so great, which put the whole idea of participating in the race into question. Thankfully that was just a passing thought. Race or not, I had to jog on Sunday anyways, so might as well take part. I decided to turn in relatively early that night, and got a decent amount of sleep. I actually dreamt that I had overslept and missed the race. It was a pretty disturbing dream.
The clock went off at 6:30 AM on Sunday. Whole milk and cereal for breakfast (low-fat and low-carb have no place in my diet), supplemented by a couple of large California dates and a large glass of tea. Dates are the nature's true energy bars. Why suffer through the nasty-tasting, artificial stuff when you've got the real deal made by nature. They taste great too. By 8 AM I was on location, pinned my designated number to the front of my T-shirt, and walked about until 8:30 when the race began.
This was a running experience for me unlike any other. I always jog alone with my thoughts being my only company. Here I was one of nearly 700 runners running towards the finish line. It was early in the morning and the weather was clear and crisp; an exhilarating day. In about a couple of miles or so, the crowd started to thin out. Some pulling ahead, others falling behind, and suddenly the experience reverted to the familiar territory for me. It was me again and my thoughts to keep me company. Some of the thoughts were about when I was going to hit the proverbial wall when runners run out of energy and may have to start walking. If there were a wall, I must have side-stepped it obliviously. I jogged the entire course in good form and before I knew it, it was finished. There were no heavy breathing or excessive pain, nor my emotions were too high. It had felt just like another normal jog.
For the first time in my jogging life I actually knew the exact distance and speed I had traveled; 13.1 miles in one hour and 54 minutes. I was the 285th person finishing the race. Good enough for me. Mission accomplished.
As I drove home, I was thinking about the next step. A full marathon, perhaps? Well, that might be in my future, but not for a while. But I know I'll be back again next year for another half marathon.
marathon,half marathon,jogging,running <Half marathon, the event>
// posted by rh
Half marathon
*Note: I wrote this entry last Saturday, but decided to post it after my half marathon attempt. Here's the entry on the actual event: Half marathon, the event
As I write this, my body is in pain and distress. I feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck. And that's just a dry run I attempted today. I've been an avid jogger for years. Five or six miles, I can handle relatively well. But 13.1 miles is not something my body had been expecting, and it's letting me know loud and clear.
About a week ago I saw a half marathon ad in the local paper of my hometown, and impulsively I decided to take the plunge. I'd been meaning to take part in an organized running race for many years, but the fear of defeat had always held me back. This time I thought, what have I got to lose? I found out today that I could lose quite a bit, like my ability to walk. Another reason for my reluctance to participate had been the anxiety to lose my interest in running. I've met many people who've run a marathon or two, but perhaps found the experience so displeasing that they have quit running altogether. Giving up running to me is unfathomable, and I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize the desire, until now, I guess.
Running is an addiction for me, and I've never wanted to cure myself of the disease. I run every other day religiously covering four to five miles in each session. The addiction is so strong that when I miss a session, I go into withdrawals manifested by moodiness, depression, and general grouchiness. My wife who's clearly familiar with the symptoms, usually pushes me out the door demanding that I go for a jog before entering the house.
I've never actually clocked my routes. I only make educated guesses on the distances run, and today I decided to mount an all out assault on a distance I had never attempted before. Well, I couldn't finish it. about a mile from the house, I finally ran out of every bit of energy I had, and proceeded to walk the rest of the way back home. To my best estimate I had jogged about 12 miles before switching to a brisk walk. It hurt in more ways than one. Quitting is not a pleasant feeling, but there are times that one must heed the body and do the right thing. I pushed myself for as long as I could, and then painfully decided to down-shift.
The big event is next Sunday. Honestly, I'm doubtful that I can run the whole course. But I have now committed myself, and there is no backing out. Professional runners might scoff at my anxiety to run a mere half marathon. For me, however, it's a summit yet unconquered, and no matter the outcome, I must make the attempt. Let's lace up the sneakers and meet the challenge. No room for wimps here.
marathon,half marathon,jogging,running <Half marathon>
// posted by rh
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