1.29.13 Track Run

We are supposed to have bad storms today and I wasn't sure when they were rolling in.  I woke up at 5am but thought I could rest another 30 minutes before I started to move.  Next thing I knew, it was 6:30.  I looked outside and it was overcast but dry.  I put on my running stuff and moved out.  I can't find my plan for this week from Jeff.  I don't know if I lost it or he forgot to send it.  I pulled my track workout from two weeks ago and decided to go with that.  Basically, run the 1.5 miles to the track and then run five 800s at 3:40-3:50.  I hit the targets and the last 800 was at 3:31.  Since I was late getting started the track team at the middle school showed up at the very end.  The coach was nice enough to let me stay and get my last 800 in.  My injury is getting better.  I was able to bend over and stretch a little today.  I need to get in touch with Jeff today for my workouts this week.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/267361414

1.28.13 Back in the Water

I wasn't up to boot camp today so I decided to resume my morning swimming routine at the CARC.  After riding the bike and trail running this weekend, I have declared myself fit for training again after last Monday's injury.  I don't feel great but you have to get going again at some point.  This was my first swim since the injury on 1/21.  I was surprised at how much core work there is in swimming.  You never really know how much you use a muscle group until you have to use it when your injured.  All of the core body rotation in the swim stroke was more difficult today than I had anticipated.  Running and riding the bike was not near as bad.  Not that this was bad, it was just more noticable.  I never felt like I needed to stop but my pace was somewhat restrained since I wasn't able to really pull through the entire stroke on my left side.  Another problem was my right side was 100% so there was some drifting issues to the right.  I do feel improved from last week but I am definitely not fully recovered.  I told Jeff to work up a normal plan for me this week and I would make it work.  I was supposed to get a recovery week plan last week so hopefully I didn't lose too much for the 4 days off.

1.27.13 Northshore Trail Run

We had a big crew to start the day.  Matrix, Joe, Hammer, Joe's neighbor Fred, and me.  Fun to run with a bigger group, the time passes fast.  Hammer tripped on a rock in a nasty section of the trail and had to turn back a couple mile in so we were one down.  About 40 minutes in, Joe and Fred turned back.  I needed at least 1.5 hours so Rich went with me to the chair and then we turned back.  I ended up covering 8.2 miles in right at 90 minutes.  At about a half mile to go, I clipped a rock with my dreaded right toe.  Always the right toe and went down.  Man, I was pissed.  Matrix dug up the rock and threw it in the woods for me.  After I was able to walk off the pain, we hammered it pretty good on the way in.  Once we hit the trail head and got on concrete again, we were right at 8 minute pace or less the rest of the way in.  I wanted off that foot.  I can't seem to get a break lately.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/266570346

1.26.13 Back at It

Last night I decided to go for a short run.  I went for 3.5 miles and didn't feel too bad.  My muscle strain mostly hurts now when bending at the waist.  My speed was good after three days off.  I covered the first 5k in about 26 minutes and it wasn't that difficult.  My pace was a little faster the rest of the way home.  I built speed as I went since I wasn't sure what to expect.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/265933071

Since that went well, I decided to get up this morning and ride.  Jeff was doing a running clinic at 11:30 so I wanted to get to that.  I left about 8:20 this morning.  It was a raw day.  Cold, overcast, a little wind from the NE accompanied by some Seattle like rain most of the morning.  Nothing heavy, but enough rain to make things uncomfortable.  Didn't really hurt too much on the ride and my speed was pretty good.  I rode with another guy for about 3-4 miles on Royal Lane.  Nice to have the company for a few miles.  I ended up covering 42 mile in a little over 2.5 hours.  I was supposed to go 3 hours today but I didn't want to push it too hard and have a problem.  When I got home, I was able to make it to the Middle School track in time for Jeff's running clinic.  We ran another couple miles up there.  I think I am ready for the trail run tomorrow with Joe and the Matrix.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/266214613

1.25.13 Still Injured

Very frustrating week.  Still not working out.  I haven't done anything since Monday morning.  Whatever this muscle is above my hip is a core muscle that affects anything I do.  Hurts to swim, hurts to bike, hurts to run.  I may try to get in a soft 3 miles tonight when I get home.  If I can't run, I'm going to have to walk.  I need to do something.  The down time is killing me.

1.23.13 Injured

On Monday morning I did something to myself at boot camp and am really hurting.  I pulled a muscle above my left hip.  It hurts like hell.  I finished boot camp on Monday with the exception of the stretching at the end.  I couldn't bend anymore.  It was a really tough day at work on Monday and I got almost no sleep on Monday night due to the pain.  Last night was a little better.  It is improving but I don't know how long it will take to get back to some semblence of normal.  I may try to swim tonight but I'm not going to push very hard.  I'm really bummed out about this but what can you do.  Stuff happens.

1.20.13 River Bottom Run

This morning the Matrix and I tried something a little different.  We ran the Trinity River bottoms today.  It's basically running the levee area of the Trinity River.  We started around Regal Row and I35 and started running towards downtown.  When we got about 45 minutes in, we turned around and came back.  The ground was pretty soft down the levee on the river side and the gravel jeep road was pretty smooth on top.  We saw one truck, someone contemplating the meaning of life on the side of the levee, and one other runner today.  Otherwise, it was me, Rich, and a bunch of birds.  We were surprised how clean the area was for being so close to downtown.  It didn't smell and we didn't see any dead bodies so I guess that was good.  Looked like there were a few good places for homeless hideouts under the bridges that cross over the river.  Overall, not bad, and you can run a long way down there.  Rich has another spot for next week on the south side of Lake Grapevine.  This variety thing is kind of cool and we're having fun with that.  We covered about 9.6 miles in 1.5 hours.  The river bottoms gives you alot of options.  You can do hills if you run the levee or you can do speed work on the flats.  Good area for running.  I think we'll be back.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/264177986