There was a lot of strength training, some runs, and many days at the pool! Floating, of course.

I realized I haven’t been giving proper updates on the short disciples but, let me assure you, they are alive and well. And I am not. Alive maybe, but not well. Summer changes them into little gremlins. The class sizes have almost doubled, I’ve solo’d more times than I care to count, and if I am asked one more time for a prize – from the least well-behaved child – I might start throwing a fit on the floor. But I keep showing up.

Which is what June’s workouts were…a lesson in showing up. I eventually figured out the back pain was actually glute pain from (drumroll, please) not wearing my old lady orthotic shoe inserts. I suppose my hip/back/glutes began to take the brunt of the foot issues. Hence the revolt. Once I returned to wearing them regularly, almost all pain disappeared. Magical.

I guess some are expecting a creatine update, too, huh? Here goes – 

Dare I say it’s not a problem to be fixed. The last several years, I have expected…demanded…perfection from myself. No missteps, all A’s, keep every ball in the air, no room for failure. Yet my brain cannot be expected to keep up. At some point, it will flounder for words, simple words, simple things I shouldn’t forget but have. But the big things? I don’t forget them. The big balls stop it Kel are still in the air, floating victoriously toward their finish line. Small balls? Well. They rolled away.

So what if I struggle for some meaningless term to describe the thing that changes the channel. Or that dude’s name. Or what I ate for breakfast. Who cares.

My very real and noticeable effects thus far are in exercise performance, specifically long-lasting energy during workouts and a reduction in post-strength training soreness (aka DOMS).

Now…does that mean I won’t keep trying to obtain a fix or placebo for brain fog and memory issues? Hahhaha. No. I’m not the type to give up. Maybe it doesn’t happen in 30 days. Maybe it takes 60 or 90. I’ll keep trying until I have determined all options have been expended.

I’ve decided to continue another 30 days with a daily creatine regimen but with one major update: a dosage increase. Research points to pre-menopausal women who regularly strength train and incorporate a cardio element, i.e., me, have shown cognitive success (in addition to exercise performance success) when utilizing a max load phase of 15-20g for 3-7 days, followed by supplementation of 5-10g indefinitely. Interestingly, upon full discontinuation, creatine remains elevated for approximately 30 days. What does this all mean? It means there’s promise in the creatine realm and I intend to explore it! (Smith-Ryan, A. E., Cabre, H. E., Eckerson, J. M., & Candow, D. G. (2021). Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients, 13(3), 877. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030877)

I do plan to talk to my doctor about prescribing creatine. If he balks, I’ll calmly explain that since social experiments are frowned upon (how unfair!), then allowing me to conduct my own medical experiment as the only subject should be an acceptable alternative. Regardless of placebo effect, there was/is an effect and I’m enjoying the longevity it gives me during workouts. I’m now taking 20g for 7 days (5-11 Jul), then returning to a 10g dose for the remainder of the 30 days.

Basically, more to come. Standby for another update in 30 days.

____________________________

I ask you –

Did you expect a positive creatine report?

Tell me something crazy about your June!

(The post June Recap! And Creatine Feedback! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

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