still progressing slowly ... too slowly

After a week of being able to run (only when interspersed with walking though) I've found that progress is still exceptionally slow.  So much so that I've been told by the medical guys to stop for a fortnight so they can do some more tests to find out why I'm taking an unfathomably long time to recover from a badly sprained ankle. [eleven weeks and counting]

The theory is that I have some kind of illness or condition which is effecting things.  Something like calcium deficiency or not being able to fully utilise proteins.

Or maybe something more serious and sinister.  Much blood and urine has been taken away for analysis, different parts of my body have had x-rays and CT scans taken of them and all the results should be back next week.

In the meantime there is no way I'll be anywhere near fit enough for the World 24 hr Championships next May so I've reluctantly sent an email to the team management letting them know that I don't wish to be considered.

A sad but necessary decision.  I'll just have to run well in the second half of 2013 to get back into the team  :)

Medical Research

Club run last night - just over 7 miles at a fairly quick pace. Enjoyable.

Today I took part in a survey by UK Biobank. UK Biobank is a major UK medical research initiative with the aim of improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious and life-threatening illnesses – including cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis and forms of dementia. They are recruiting 500,000 people aged 40-69 from across the UK to take part in this project.

Basically I had to answer hundreds of questions about my lifestyle and have measurements taken such as height, weight, body fat %, blood pressure, etc. Then samples of blood and urine were taken for analysis.

This is an ongoing research initiative and I will be asked back at some future point for more of the same - to see how things have changed I suppose.

Of all the tests I undertook I was given the following results:

blood pressure ... 146/85 mmHg

weight ... 57.3 kg [126.3 lb] (clothed)

height ... 1.67 m [5 feet 5.75 inches]

body mass index ... 20.5

waist ... 71 cm [28 inches]

body fat ... 14.1 %

heel bone ultrasound ... 162 dB/MHz

lung function ... FEV1 value ... 2.87 litres

lung function ... FVC value ... 3.60 litres

lung function ... FEV1/FVC ratio ... 80 %

As expected, the lung fuction tests are slightly less than normal because of my medical history (in 1993 I had part of my right lung removed due to cancer).  For my age, height, gender and race FEV1 value should be 3.41 to 3.64 litres and FVC value should be 4.50 to 4.80 litres.

I'm happy with this though - I'm alive, running, have a wonderful family and I'm enjoying myself.