On the run again

First run after recovering from my ankle sprain. Ran one loop of my usual route. Started out slowly and really focused on taking it easy on my body, trying to run smoothly, and avoiding any compensation. A little pain at times, but only when I wasn't focused on my stride, so that reminded me to pay attention, which was good. So great to be running again! What a beautiful morning in Encinitas, and Cardiff. Roxy Jam was going on, weather and air were perfect, and I was so glad to be back training again. I did splits on my watch, but since it was my first day back, I didn't get too depressed when I saw the times. Mostly I just was trying to gauge how long it would take me to get back to pushing it. Of that I'm not certain, but for now, pure joy to be back. The only downside came while sprinting back across 101 at Cardiff campgrounds to make the light, and avoid stopping. I twanged my foot a little - jumping / sprinting should not have been in my repertoire. I feel that a little right now, but nothing big.

6.55 mi, 56 min 22 sec
8 min 36 sec / mi

Also, I finally got a decent test of my new shoes. I was trying them out the day I got injured, but since it was only two miles before I got hurt, I wasn't certain how the shoes were. Well today after 6.5 miles, I can say they felt great. Big thanks to the guys at the San Diego Running Institute for helping select them. If you haven't been there for running shoes, you should. They measure your foot in the usual way, plus other ways that no other store has done for me: arch height, take pressure images of your foot strike, etc. After this, they select shoes that are targeted to your foot type. It seems to have worked for me, because these new shoes, Asics GT 2720s feel much better than my fairly new Nike Air Pegasus.

Finally on the mend

Got off the crutches on Tuesday of last week. Hobbled around for 3 days trying to heel strike, and push off on the ball of my lame foot. By Friday, I was still limping, but could get around OK which was good, because my son and I had a campout scheduled at Indian Hills. At the last minute, as I was loading Max's bike onto the truck, I decided to load my mountain bike and just see how it would go.

Indian Hills has tons of great stuff for Max and the boys of his tribe. Archery, ziplines, paintball range, a huge playset with towers to climb, rope ladders, slides, and a huge rope swing, two pools (one had two slides), animals,



and lastly, Max's and my favorite...

the BMX Bike Track.

This thing rocked. The boys had such a great time on that track, and I did too - was like a kid again.

I started off super-slowly and carefully, trying to avoid re-injuring my still swollen, and painful left ankle. Saturday I ramped it up more and more, until I was charging it. Sunday was just excellent - completely in my groove, and having a great time watching Max and the other kids get the track dialed in.

I don't think I'm ready to run yet, but at least I know I can bike - yeeeehaaah!

Note to self: Don't run in the dark!

Started out on my usual half-marathon run this morning at 4:30AM, my usual time in order finish, shower, and make it to work.

Right at the Cardiff campgrounds, where it's dark as night, no lights, and on the blacktop, I stepped on the invisible torn up root of a bush right in the middle of the running/walking path, and proceeded to crumple with a marvelous twist of my left ankle, and then landed on my right knee.

Sat and cursed a lot thinking about all the training I just lost with that foolish choice to run without a headlamp. I'm sure the poor beach campers were none too happy about being awoken to a stream of expletives.

Had to take off the shoe, and hobble/limp the 2 miles back home. Took forever, and it was pretty painful, but mostly just depressing. I didn't have a cell phone with me but it really didn't matter since Nadine would have had to roust the kids into the car at o-dark-thirty just to get me.

Anyway, I'm super-bummed. Not sure if I'll be able to do the Gatorman 3 Mile swim event this weekend, and the Orange County International triathlon is very questionable.

I just can't believe how much fitness I'm losing by this injury, and how much it will take to get back to where I was this morning.

After the docs office, I saw a friend who had been to see my kid's doctor. The kids doc had fallen running as well, and had broken both arms. I guess I should count my blessings.

The culprit (above) .... AND the aftermath

45 mi coast ride

Yesterday was a fabulous beach bike ride with the family, followed by a great beach day at Beacons with some friends, and their family.

Had a beautiful ride this morning. Well rested, got on the road by about 6:30 and headed out to an empty PCH. Up the Torrey hill, back down into La Jolla shores, over to LJ Cove, past Windansea, Birdrock, PB and down to the jetty at South Mission Beach. Return ride was still pretty uncrowded, but coming back through Del Mar saw a lot of cyclists heading out for their rides. Passing Del Mar Dog Beach, I saw my usual volleyball crew (TARPP) getting the rules briefing for the annual King/Queen of the Beach tournament. They all looked pretty focused listening, so I guess Eric must've been giving out the rules/regs of the tourney, and the team pairings. I skipped this event this year because last year I hurt my wimpy back by diving too much while trying to make it out of the quarter finals and into the semis, and also discovered the next day that I had an unbelievable amount of blisters (on top of blisters) which took almost 2 weeks to heal all the way. But the back injury began the injury spiral took me down for the better part of 8 months. Glad I'm finally healthy and getting fit again.

Off to the beach with the family again today, with another group of friends and their kids.

4100 M (2.5Mi) Swim

Swam my longest distance ever of 4100M (2.5 Mi) continuous freestyle this morning at the Y in 1hr 14min 7sec. That's a decent pace for me, of ~1 min 49 sec / 100M.

I'm really happy about this because I've been pretty focused on ramping up my run, and I've been somewhat neglecting the pool work, in combination with my wrist injury, which kept me out of the pool a bit. The wrist felt great this morning!

Another reason I'm really happy about this swim is that on Saturday afternoon, I barely could do my old 1600M workout, even though I was planning on doing 3400M, because I had this breathless, "I'm drowning" feeling for the first 500M or so, and never really shook the tiredness. That was new, odd, suprising, and worrisome all at the same time. Saturday's sad swim had me extremely worried about my upcoming events: 3Mi ocean swim for Gatorman (La Jolla Rough Water Swim), and the Orange County International Triathlon Swim 1500M (yeah - not that long but, it's part of a Triathlon).

After today's swim, I'm feeling very confident about the swim portions of these events.

P.R. Half Marathon distance

Did a Half Marathon distance run this morning (my 3rd time running this distance), and set a new personal record of 1hr 51min 27secs. Yep - I know it's only an 8:30 / mi pace, but that's good for me at this distance. During that last 3 miles I was really trying to zone out and concentrate on my pace, and become a running zombie. When I got to the last mile split, and saw that I was going to beat my previous two times, I really pushed the final mile to my max, and was really happy with the resulting final time. Today, I became certain that my mind works against me most of the time, and I need to try to shut it off. For the entire 1st loop, I had this dread of the pain of doing the 2nd loop. That soaks up a lot of effort, and makes everything seem harder. Several times I had to talk myself out of stopping after only 1 loop. As soon as I hit my house, grabbed my water and banana for the 2nd loop, all that dread went away, and the running seemed much easier: "I'm half way there - this isn't so bad - I feel pretty good." I need to work on this mental aspect a lot. I would call it fear of pain. I saw this written on the back of a Marine's shirt at the Pendleton Sprint Tri - "Pain is the feeling of weakness leaving your body". I like that a lot. I need to tell myself that more when I'm running.

The Good stuff:
- getting more fit and faster at a distance that was only 6 months ago unthinkable for me
- running without my shirt on to stay cool in spite of the high humidity this morning (I'm not buying that story that running specific clothing keeps you cooler than having no shirt on - it hasn't been the case for me)
- taking a goo before the run, and hydrating enough beforehand (last time I just wanted to get on the road)
- running more carefully to help avoid hard impact (my knees and hips feel much better today than after the last run)
- taking the time to tighten the front laces to avoid my feet sliding forward in my shoes and giving me blisters, BUT...

The Bad stuff:
- in spite of my lacing efforts, and running care, I got blisters on the toes next to my big toe, I think it probably started happening after the final hill climb of the run.
- I thought the blisters from the last run had healed and become calouses (to offer more protection), but I guess this wasn't the case. They are big blisters on the tips now. I'll need to get this figured out. Time to go back to the running store and ask a lot of questions.

Wrist on the mend

On Saturday afternoon, I was able to do a swim at the Y, wearing the wrist guard. Pretty weird swim for me though. The first 400 M or so, I literally felt like I was on the verge of drowning. I just could not get enough air. I was swimming 1:45 100's, which is (sadly) a typical pace for me, where I'm pushing hard, but not to my limits. Nonetheless, I just couldn't get enough air. This was really depressing, particularly since I was rested. It was the afternoon, and the water felt waaay too hot for me. I was considering just stopping at 800M (what?!). But, I kept on pushing through and finished what was my old workout, of 1600M continuous freestyle. When I was driving to the pool, I was thinking that I'd do 3400M, so I was pretty bummed. I've got to get a lot of pool time in this week and fix that right away, since I've got the Gatorman coming up.

Today, the wrist felt good enough to bear weight, so I rode into work. I got some good sleep last night, so I was able to do my long route into work this morning (up Torrey hill, and back down, then up Sorrento Valley Blvd). After yesterday's depressing pool session, this ride cheered me up as I told myself as I set out from home to get ready for some suffering. I pushed really hard, and my lungs and my legs rose to the occasion. I kinda shocked one runner as I was sprint climbing the small hill into Solana Beach, because I was breathing so hard, but I don't care. If I'm not pushing that hard, then I'll never be ready for racing. Nope I'm not the fittest or fastest guy, but I'm trying my damn hardest when I'm out there.

Speaking of which, one thing that consistently bugged me in the Olympics was the commentators making what verged on derogatory comments about some of the athletes. I mean look, these people have committed themselves to a goal, day in and out, gotten to the Olympics, besting many of their fellow countryman, who were no doubt super-committed also, and are now competing against the best athletes in the world in their sport. I mean jeez, you think that these people aren't busting their humps, under that extreme pressure, trying to give their 110% best effort? To me the Olympics, are just so awesome, and humbling, for the commitment that these athletes have. Win, lose, or crumble under the pressure, they have my deep respect. One comment that particularly bugged me was the live blogging of the Triathlon, where the supposed expert blogger calls the guys trying to make the breakaway on the bike stage "pretenders, not contenders". What a cheap shot.