http://www.parkrun.co.za/midstream/results/latestresults/
I finished the 5 km in 1 hr 53 min. I don't know why they say 1:55.
My Park run times are getting slower and slower. I keep thinking if I get the socket better, I'll walk faster. But maybe I am growing older faster, than I can improve my walking speed.
I went to the Local GP yesterday, because during the ParkRun, my one toenail turned about 45 degrees to the left. I thought it had come loose. She was very good, and said that she had no way to cut or trim the thick, brown nail, so she would remove it. While she was gathering her tools, I started thinking about using a grinder to reshape the toenail. Then I thought of my Dremmel tool. Dremmel makes a small hobby grinder for small cutting and grinding. I told her that I would go home and try grinding the toenail before we do the surgery route.
At home I got out my Dremmel tool, and got online to see if anyone else had ever thought to use a grinder on toenails. Google gave me a zillion hits for grinding toe and finger nails. It seems that podiatrists and dog parlours often use small grinders on nails.
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| Dremmel tool being used on a dog. |
I ground the offending toenail and shaped it much better. It was so easy and painless, I ground on the other 4 toenails...then I did my fingernails also.
This latest ParkRun is about half on dirt paths, and half on sidewalks. The dirt part is angled the wrong way, so the prosthetic leg feels way to long. Since I am missing my left leg, if the ground is higher on the left, then the prosthetic leg never unlocks, and remains stiff. This means small hobbled steps. Very frustrating when trying to "race".
I usually walk on the left side of the street for the same reason. It makes the prosthetic leg "feel" shorter, so it swings forward easier.
I removed the foot and pylon from my prosthetic knee, and used my Dremmel tool to cut a 1 cm section off the carbon fibre pylon.
If I insert the ring and the pylon onto the knee, it is still the same length, but if I take the ring out, then the whole leg is 1 cm shorter.
I have been practising a "pit stop" like procedure where I sit on the ground, remover the lower leg, insert or remove the ring, then put the leg back together, and stand up all within 45 seconds.
My thinking is that when I get to a section on the ParkRun that has ground higher on the left, I remove the ring, and when the ground is more level, I re-insert the ring.
If I make the ring the exact correct thickness depending on the terrain, then I should be able to walk straight up when the ground is slanted. That should remove one more excuse for my poor times.
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Later...
I just got back from the Prosthetist. I quickly went to the same one I have been using for years.
My socket got a large crack in it. I tried super glue. That was a waste of time. If layers of fiber glass crack from the strain, then Super glue doesn't stand a chance.
We chatted about the places where the socket hurts and rubs, and he will work on those areas while he is fixing the crack.
I showed him my spacer insertion technique and he showed me a pylon that had a ruler engraved into it. He said that the manufacturer allows the pylon to be extended 3 cm and still be griped strong enough to run on. That means I'll be able to change the length without having to get on the ground, and using the insert.
This Prosthetists also says that he does the Midstream ParkRun. We didn't see each other there. Now that I am home, I see that his name is on the results page, along with his wife, mother, sister, and 2 daughters.
He kept my socket for the day, but I have many spares, so I just made up a temporary prosthetic leg. It will let me stand, and walk around the house.
I got a nice letter from the ParkRun People. They offered to let me be an "early walker". Someone that walks the route before the race, and reports any mud puddles, construction or obstacles on the course. That way I could be a staff volunteer, and still do the run. That sounds like it would be a good solution.
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