It's Back!

After a long hiatus from blogging I have gotten numerous request to keep updating on my goal of the reaching the London Olympic Games this summer.

If you were and avid Decathlete Times reader you know that my life had some big changes last year. Jenna and I welcomed the arrival of our little baby girl Emerson Grace Randolph on September 18th 2012. Since then it has been a whirlwind of a ride and we could not be happier. Emmy has brought so much joy to our family and everyday we are in awe of what she can do.

With our beautiful new addition my goal and my families goal is to help me achieve a spot on the Olympic Team this June. And we are well on our way!

I competed this indoor season for the first time in two years and qualified to compete at the USA Indoor Championships in early March where I placed 6th. The indoor heptathlon is not really my strong point but I had a lot of success in indoor and used it help boost my training for the outdoor season. Since indoor I have competed twice, once at Cal Poly in an open meet and the other earlier this week at Westmont University down in Santa Barbara for my first decathlon. I had some good events and some bad events but came out with the best score I have done since 2008 and really have a lot of room for continued improvement. I scored 7840 with only one PR that came in the javelin. It was great to also win the competition and KSBY did a local news report on Sharon and I at that meet. Check it here.

So the season continues to press on I look forward to my next decathlon at Claremont in May where I feel I can have a personal best and hit an Olympic 'A' Standard. Everything has been falling into place as it should and its exciting to see what my body can do.

A lot of you know that I have struggled with hamstring, knee, and digestive problems the past few seasons, and I am happy to report that my body is working in perfect harmony again. I cannot reiterate how important it is for a decathlete to be healthy. Seasons can be lost over the most minor injuries if not taken care of properly. That's why I continue to use an extensive program of physical therapy, chiropractic, and massage in order to maintain my health. I have found that with all the working out I do I absolutely HAVE to have therapeutic recovery. I am constantly working with different schedules of physical therapy exercises, chiropractic adjustments, and massage in order to find how my body responds and recovers best. It has been years and years of tinkering and as my workouts during the weeks change so does my therapy regimens. Without maintaining this balance I seem to fall into injury.

With age comes wisdom I guess, and I am so happy to have found a system that is keeping me healthy and competing at my best. Thank you for tuning into Decathlete Times again and I look forward to keeping you updated on the Olympic Journey! Enjoy these pictures!

Me in the new SKECHERS uniform:



My loves:






And Bradford being lazy:

Location:Laguna Ln,San Luis Obispo,United States

Biking, Babies, and Bradford

As the off season presses on, I still continue to battle the candida albicans, Jenna and I are in waiting mode for our little girl to come out and play, and Bradford is growing into a giant.

After seeing my nutritionist again this last week I was put on a different supplement that is supposed to fight the lesser known allergens that can accompany candida. A few test showed that I have the candida down to a healthy level but my digestive cells were still having a reaction to acetaldehyde (a form of ethanol that is a byproduct of dying candida) as well as manan (makes up 70% of the candida cell wall). After a week or so on the new product I began to have the same symptoms I was having months ago when the infestation was at it's worst. Today is the first day that my doctor recommended I reintroduce the anti-parasite supplement as well as continue on the other supplement aimed at fighting the allergens. I continue to think that I have had such a hard time fighting it because I have had the overgrowth for so long. So as my body continues to detox I try my best looking into the future and dreaming of when I can have some bread, or beer, or sugar, or any other complex carbohydrate without feeling nausea.

This past week I also decided that after close to two months off it would be good to get back on a little bit of exercise. Three days I ride the bike and elliptical machine for a half and hour and do some very easy body weight lifts to get my muscles and tendons working in good fashion again. Most likely by the end of September I will be on a full training program again with running three to four days a week and lifting weights three days.

No baby yet as Jenna and I await her to grace us with her presence. Jenna is having small contractions daily but nothing that has scared us into thinking it's "go time". Each day gets us one step closer to meeting her and both Jenna and I can't wait. Its amazing to think that we could be hours away from her arrival. For someone who has endured the unglamorous parts of being pregnant since the beginning of the year, Jenna has done an unbelievable job of taking everything in stride. She has continued to work 40 hours a week up until now and is as healthy (except for being uncomfortable) as can be.

Bradford, our first child, astonishes even me by how much he eats. A little over four months old and I weighed him last week at over 42 pounds so I'm guessing he is close to 44-45 today. So our family of four awaits the arrival of number five and I will continue to keep you all up to date with pictures and posts. Stay tuned!

Here's a recent video of Bradford rampaging in the backyard:

Olympic Season

I wanted to keep you all updated on my progress and what the rest of the season entails.

It has been close to 4 weeks since I had seen Dr. Cochran about my digestive problems. Immediately after taking the medication I started to feel better. As time went on it seemed that every few days or so I would start to get symptoms like I had before I went and saw him i.e. bloating, cramps, nausea, acid reflux, anxiety and just a general since of nervousness. After doing some research I found that killing Candida Albicans (the stubborn yeast overgrowth) would often cause die-of symptoms for a few weeks. I went back and saw Dr. Cochran after two weeks and he found that I had eliminated about 60% of the Candida and that was most likely why I was still suffering from some of the symptoms.

Since learning a lot more about how Candida works and what it takes to kill it, I have been implementing a Candida free diet along with other remedies and my medication. A lot more difficult than you think it is, a Candida free diet allows you to eat nothing that breaks down into sugars in your digestive track. Basically any wheat, yeast, dairy, corn, soy, peanuts, mushrooms or fungi, alcohol and anything that comes in a box or has preservatives or food additives.

Seems like a lot to cut out right? It is. Foods I can eat include lots of green leafy vegetables, proteins like fish and grass fed meats, beans, coconuts, avocados, garlic and fermented foods. The hardest part about sticking to the diet is finding versatility in the meals you eat. Since a lot of food will help feed Candida I have been stuck with a few basic meals.

I have learned a lot about this stubborn yeast parasite by finding information on the internet. Such sites as Candida Albicans Cure and Candida Diet have offered some great advice, but are sometimes a little conflicting. Once I found out what was truly wrong with my digestive track things have been going a lot smoother. Some days I will eat something that I think my body will have no problem with and then about a half an hour after I eat it I start having major digestive issues. This tells me that I'm not close yet to having my Candida at a healthy level. My investigative work has told me that it can as long as 90 days even on medical remedies to fully get you body back to where you were before the overgrowth happened.

Since I haven't been on a healthy track for quite some time I thought it best to continue to rest my body for next years Olympic season. I informed USA Track and Field that I won't be able to compete in the Pan America Game this year which was a hard thing to do. I don't like feeling as though I have missed an opportunity but I have to continue to think big picture of my career, and that's being one of the top three athletes at the Olympic Trials.

As my off season continues to progress I will keep you updated on where I stand health wise and when my training will pick up in the coming months. Until then continue to send Jenna and I good thoughts as we await the birth of our baby girl in September. Here's a few pictures of the family as we all continue to grow.

Parasites, Flukes and Hormones

It has been close to a month since my last post and I wanted to keep you all up to date on track and life. About three weeks ago Jack and I decided that it wasn't in my best interest to do the USA vs. Germany decathlon on August 18th because my training has been so on and off with various bouts of sickness. If you have been reading my previous post through out this year you can find a number of them littered with comments about being sick with strep throat, exhaustion, cramping, throwing up and just general not feeling like myself. After USA Championships was the last time that I had a throwing up fit where my body completely rejected the food that I was eating. Since then it was hard to keep most anything down and I would feel sick to my stomach after almost any meal.

Jenna and I investigated my diet, which is normally very healthy and full of greens, grains, and meat and searched for a reason why I couldn't keep certain foods down. We came to a conclusion about 4 weeks ago that I had developed a severe wheat allergy to the point that even if I ate a food product that was wheat-less but was made on machines that also produced wheat I would keep severe stomach acid, cramping, and anxiety. Jenna so loving put it as "Wheat-tarded" because she would get similar symptoms back before she was pregnant. So we pursued a wheat free diet since that discovery and I felt a lot better but had to be extremely cautious about eating any food I ate. For a guy who normally eats anything and everything put in front of him, it was a real struggle finding wheat-less food that would quell my excessive appetite.

As the weeks went by I dropped a lot of weight and became a wheat-less-ohlic, making sure products at restaurants where wheat-less and constantly checking labels fearing that if I didn't I would have another violent throwing up fit. We began to realize that even after going wheat-less I was still extremely low energy and would get symptoms even if I ate products that contained no wheat. Feeling like I had exhausted a lot of resources I made an appointment to see a clinical nutritionist in hopes to find all the things that I have become allergic to.  Last Wednesday I spent an hour and half with Dr. Cochran in Pismo Beach testing everything under the sun. Here is what was found:

1.) No food allergies what-so-ever

2.) Multiple fungus and parasite infections

      A.) Aflatoxins
      B.) Aspergilla
      C.) Aspergilla Niger
      D.) Candida Albicans
            a.) Feeds off of wheat, yeast, and all types of sugar
      E.) Aspergillus Mix
      F.) Claudosporium Mix

3.) Bloodflukes

      A.)Schistomosa Mansoni
            a.) Causes cramping and various other symptoms
      B.) Schistomosa Haematobium

4.) Hormones

      A.) Hydrocortisol, Aldosterone, and Cortisol all extremely low
         
5.) Vitamins

      A.) B-12 extremely low

That's a giant list of a lot of things going on in my body that I had no idea. But it was such a relief to finally know why I have been feeling so incredibly crummy for so long. Its hard to tell where I acquired all of these problems, but Dr. Cochran believes that some of the parasites and bloodflukes most likely came from when I competed in the Dominican Republic three years ago. The mold fungus could have come from living in my old place that I moved from when I discovered mold in the walls. As for the hormone levels and vitamin deficiency are most likely direct results from my body being overtaken by so many invaders.

It is almost a week since my appointment and getting on four types of supplements aimed a killing the fungi, parasites, bloodflukes, and also restoring my hormone levels as well as a probiotic for detoxing my system, and I cant remember a time that I have felt better. Its amazing how you can get used to feeling crummy and think that its the norm. My problem was that my symptoms came on over a long period of time so in a way they were masked. Once I took the Amoxicillian in January to help my strep throat, it killed all of the good bacteria  (and bad bacteria) in my body leaving it at the mercy of all the invaders. Which is exactly the time when my symptoms really started to progress to and almost unlivable level.

So the question I wrestle with now is where to go from here. I am still a candidate to compete in the Pan America Games in October which is an amazing opportunity to compete as part of team USA, but I want to make sure that my body is rested a ready for the next season as its an Olympic year. Still contemplating about what the rest of this year holds and I will keep you all updated on my decisions. Hope all is well and thanks for all your support!!

   

The Next Step

This past week has been on again and off again with training. Through out this year I have struggled with a few bouts of sickness including on several separate occasions throwing up from what I can only think was some sort of food poisoning. After USA's was the last instance of my body rejecting the food that I have been eating and over the past two weeks it has been a battle trying to figure out what I can and can't eat. Jenna and I have been trying different eating plans and this is day 4 of a no wheat diet and I am finally starting to feel a little normal.

The food problems started back in January after I had strep throat and got on Amoxicillian. The last time I remember taking medication for strep was when I was younger. But I neglected to remember that I am allergic to any sort of Penicillin and so since that time my body has had strange reactions to certain foods.

After a few doctors visit with Dr. Molly at SLO Wellness Center (and I'm sure a few more in the future) I have learned a lot about how an antibiotic, especially if you are allergic to it, can mess up your bodies equilibrium. It seems that my body is having a big aversion to anything wheat based, even to the point of my tongue swelling after having a beer. Since basically the 11th event of the decathlon is eating it's something that needs to be fixed pronto.

In the next couple days I will be seeing an allergist in hopes of finding what my body is having an aversion to and in the meantime sticking to a strict no wheat diet. I had my second practice today which had a lot of jogging and stretching and my body feels a little weak from the lack of food and nutrients. But I feel as though I am on the upswing and look forward to the big days of training ahead.

Next meets on the schedule could include some of the wednesday night track meets in Atascadero as the track season in the U.S. winds down. But international competition is picking up and I look forward to representing the U.S. at the Pan America games and the Thorpe Cup which is in the middle of august. Both again great opportunities for me.

Until then there has been a new edition to the family that has kept Jenna and I on our toes. Say hello to Bradford:




He also keeps me busy running around the track:

Stay tuned for more to come!

Chris Randolph

Location:Laguna Ln,San Luis Obispo,United States

U.S. Nationals, Pan America Games and Beyond.....

Its now 3 Days after the U.S. Nationals and my body is still working its way to recovery. It has been a crazy few months in the life of Chris Randolph and Co. but I have no doubt in my mind that I gave it my all.

When I look back at USA's its amazing how fast it comes and goes. In the life of a track and field athlete you train hours upon days and days upon weeks and weeks upon months to prepare yourself for ONE meet a year. You think it will never come and then all of a sudden its over. All the planning and intervals and weights that punished your body through out the year get smashed together in one two day segment of fury, sweat, pain, exhilaration  accomplishment, and defeat. No decathlon ever comes out the way you plan it and that's why it is such a fickle beast. All you can do is push your body to the extreme that you have trained for and stay focused on the task at hand. If you can do that, then the decathlon will always be a success.

U.S. Nationals was a success. It was not my best score, but I gave everything I had in the competition. Scoring 7606 and placing 5th in the U.S. is something to be proud about. As a decathlete you always want more but sometimes you just don't get it. It is truly an honor to compete at this high level and to have the strong support from friends and family. I would not be where I am today without the constant care and love I receive from all aspects of my life.

So whats next? Finishing 5th places me on the Pan America Team which is held every four years and is similar to the Olympic Games but is only contested with North and South America. I also qualified to compete as a team member for the Thorpe Cup which is a yearly dual meet between the U.S. and Germany where the top 6 decathletes from each country compete on a team basis by adding up each countries point totals. Not making the World Championship Team was disappointing but these two meets offer an amazing opportunity for me to compete internationally and score and Olympic 'A' standard for next years Olympic Trails.  So as the goals shift to placing high and winning in international competition, I also maintain focus on the Olympic Trails next year in June when the top three athletes will go on to compete for Team USA at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Onwards and upwards!!

Here's a link to the scores at USA's and another link to videos of the meet. On the second link click decathlon and scroll down and you can find some of my long jumps, shot puts, high jumps, discus and javelin throws. Pretty cool stuff! Stay tuned!

Jamaica Me Crazy

Wow what a trip. After a few minimal sleep nights, 90 degree and high humidity, and a track with a constant head wind, I finished at 4th place in the NACAC Championships.

So it wasn't the best of conditions, but we had fun anyway. The USA team survived the meet and even through the tough times put up some decent marks. My finishing score was close to 7400, but I got through healthy and ready to compete at USA Championships in three weeks.

Everything I did just lacked the fire in my legs that I had a week and a half ago at Claremont. I thought it would be possible to fully recover in that amount of time but that truth was the Jamaica meet just felt flat. A good experience nonetheless as you never know what to expect when you travel to a new country to compete. Meet officials told us that is was the first decathlon ever to be held in Jamaica's history so the timing and and the accommodations during the meet really weren't too ideal. Even though that was the case it was still great to get in another competition before USA Championships. Here's a few pics from the trip, our dorm room seen here:




The dining facility er cafeteria:




Heading up to the track:




Here's a video of the Usain Bolt Track Facility, built so it has a strong headwind 100% of the time:

Waiting for the food:




And last but not least Chris Helwick drinking some local coconut juice straight from the source:




All in all it is always exciting to be a part of the USA Team and to represent your country. Even though the meet was rough it was still a great competition and much to learn and prepare for the next one.

As of now I am back is SLO county and recovering from the trip. For the next three weeks leading up to USA's the key word is "speed". I am in good running shape and have the strength needed to compete well in all the events, the next piece of the puzzle is making sure my speed comes around and I am ready to roll. Stay tuned for more practice updates and videos, thanks to all for tuning in, checking results, and all the messages of encouragement!!