Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Momentary Break...

in our Summer weather. It was actually gloomy and drizzly for part of the weekend last week, unfortunately the rain wasn't here to stay. In fact, it's suppose to warm up for the weekend. I sure hope we get some rain before Spring starts, the water situation, from what's been reported, is not good.

Headed out with The Endurables trail running group with Sam, Jenny and Mary. These guys like to run around Mt. Tam and are a good group to hang with. Because of all the moisture, the trails were trickier than usual - the wooden steps, roots and rocks were slippery. Despite my Vasque's with the aggressive treads I was sliding around all over the place. Several years ago we had a particularly muddy and slippery Quad Dipsea. It had rained during the week and all through the night stopping just before the race. Our champion that day, William Emerson from Oregon, ran the race in racing flats. I've never forgotten that and I think about it every time I slip around in my super engineered trail shoes. I still remember seeing him in those shoes and being dumbfounded.

Everything was so lush and beautiful though. Love those trails. It was a two loop run and on the second loop, Jim, the coach, led us up to the top of Mt. Tam using a steep, rocky trail that he wanted to check out. Some of it was un-runnable, well for me, but amazingly fun and refreshingly different. I have a new way to the top of the mountain. Jim has completed Western States 3-times among other accomplishments so he knows what he's doing and doesn't mind me running with his group. I need to start paying the drop in fee though, can't continue riding for free. We would end up doing 13-miles total for the day and I took off for another 3.5 hours. On my way out I ran into Gunderson and we headed back toward the bridge together. Perfect how that worked out.

This week I've just been laying low. Been feeling sluggish like I had mentioned last week so I made good with my plan to take it down a notch this week. I took the last three days off of running and just hit the gym for light workouts and stretching in the sauna. The core/groin soreness is still there but I don't expect any miracles. I saw a doctor about it but I need a new one. He thinks I should give up running altogether and just do aerobics instead. Right, right that will happen, who are these people? Then he tells me that I'm only able to do this because I'm single. Right, right, he should tell that to Mark Tanaka who is an ER doc with kids. I already have a lead on two doctors which I'll follow up on shortly. I need a primary physician anyway. I haven't had one since I left Hawaii 16 years ago. It's not that sore when I run it's the lingering soreness when I'm not running that bugs me.

Ran short this evening and it was fine, will run short stuff for the rest of the week with a half-marathon this coming Sunday. I'm reasonably fit and prepared for this road race. What I failed to do however was lose the 4 pounds I gained during the holidays. Since January 1st I lost (drum roll please) half a pound. Yes, yes even with all that running. It's the sugar. Whatever time I finish I'll think to myself, that could have been faster. Serves me right. Jo-Lynn you feel my pain.

Well you all have a great weekend!

DSCN0582.JPG
Sure this is runnable, oh you mean by me? On our way to the top of Mt. Tam. Photo courtesy of Sammy.

DSCN0587.JPG
Behind me, there's usually a great view. On our way to the top of Mt. Tam. Photo courtesy of Sammy.

11 comments:

  1. Hi Rick,

    Sorry to hear you're still suffering. My injury's still bothering me too. It's like yours- hurts a little off and on while running but gets much worse afterwards when everything tightens up or something.

    Reading Noakes book, he says get only a therapist or Doc who runs, otherwise they have no clue. I like my guy at the sports medicine institute (Palo Alto)- used to be a 1500m man and works with the Stanford track team. He's got me doing core exercises, and they're helping, but I am itching to run more than I should right now.

    Good luck and hope you're feeling better soon.

    Cynthia

    ReplyDelete
  2. See you in a week !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah Ha!! I KNEW IT!! "core/groin soreness is still there" From what? All those lady visitors! Tsk, tsk, tsk! ;-)

    Really though, I hope you start feeling on the ups :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey, Rick! I bet that core/groin issue is just a matter of a pulled muscle/tendon that's being stubborn. Let's discuss it more at Rocky! See ya soon! Peace!
    Mark

    ReplyDelete
  5. This foggy picture is what we had for the last 2 days. Today I couldn't even find a trail, of course it didn't help that it was dark 6am and my head lamp haven't seen a new battery in about 20 hrs or so. Tunnel vision, just like predawn hours in a 100, you know, when you're too lazy to switch the light and hope to ride it on, but keep tripping over things...good memories.
    Think Psoas/Iliac. Hip flexors. Have you been squatting too much lately in a weight room, and not stretching the area? Try "reclining hero" pose (search it, there are modifications). If your hip flexors are pulling in, your glutes might be too loose (as in stretched, not weak). Think back-kicks with full leg, tightening your butt. Kinesiology is a good core subject, you know. If you need massage, fly over. Kick that doctor out for sure, idiot. Doctor, not you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sure this is runnable
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    lol ya no problem ...thanks for the visual for my treadmill incline runs--haha

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great pictures, Rick! Those look like some incredibly rugged trails. Wow! That is some crazy, thick fog.

    And hey, the temperature just hit 44 here in Minnesota today. Unfortunately, this won't last. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh yeah Rick, I feel your pain. ;) I'd have to gain a lot more than speedy race times and 1/2 pound weight loss to give up my shugah! That doctor sounds like a complete IDIOT. Sheesh.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cynthia: Whoa, didn't know you were injured. Hope it's nothing too serious. I've got Noakes book as well. It's great but I have yet to finish it. It's a big book and some thing I have to read more than once and meditate upon.

    Tony: Less than a week now.

    Marcy: Hello troublemaker. It's feeling okay, we'll see in another 2 weeks.

    Mark: See you at Rocky. Any tips will be helpful.

    Olga: Funny you should say squats. I was doing a lot of work on the squats before I felt the first symptoms. Yeah one of the coaches at our club brought up the Psoas thing, showed me some stretches that seem to help. Next time you are in town, I'm getting save me a massage.

    Bob: It wasn't all that runnable for me either:) But hey whatever gets you through your workouts.

    Jean: It's beautiful when it's like that too. Like you are in another world. 44 huh, but it's only January.

    Jo-Lynn: Yeah not seeing that guy anymore. So crazy that there are doctors like him. Lovin the shugah, too much though:(

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have to say that I am totally in love with Presidio Sports Medicine. I had to use my FSA because it's not covered by my insurance, but they didn't bat an eye when I said I was training for a 50-miler (this was pre-foot breaking last June) in October.

    The last time I was at my primary care, she gave me pamphlets on being overweight. Didn't say anything, just handed me the pamphlets. I might be in the market for a new primary care too...

    My friend Jen runs with the Endurables too! I think she went on a run yesterday with one of your friends from Rodeo Beach...

    ReplyDelete