I need this!...

Boston Marathon

For the last month I've been wallowing in my horrible soul sucking "Doom and Gloom" mode since stupidly spraining my ankle just before Christmas.
It's been beating me down to the point of thinking I may have to seek some time of therapy...not physical but, mental! All my focus since my little pipe dream a year ago has been on qualifying for the Boston Marathon. The thought of not being able to do this is totally unacceptable! 

I had gotten to the point that this week I was ready to just throw in the towel and give it all up. The pain has been horrible enough that it's forced me into a bad gait when I walk now. The more I fight it the worse it gets. Two weeks back I finally surrendered and told myself "No Running"!...for 2 weeks anyway.
I have been riding the bike and trying to keep up my aerobic activity along with lot's of core work, lifting which is definitely assisting me in gaining a shit load of upper body weight...Oh yeah, I've been eating like a pig. "Depression eating".
I did try a short run tonight. With interruptions and all it ended up around 4 miles. The longest since New Years, when I tried to run on a swollen ankle.

The first 2 miles were seriously painful but I just forced myself to think beyond the pain and just relax my posture, legs and think about getting past it all.  after awhile I actually did simmer down some and found my rhythm, although at a snails pace.

After I got finished, I actually did feel better. I don't know if the running forced some of the scarring to unbind but, It all seemed to loosen up. Three hours since the run and everything seems pretty good. Am I cured!?
I may try another short run tomorrow and then Saturday will be my long ride and Sunday a Superbowl run 7 to 8 miles if possible.
Last Monday I was able to pull off a brisk 20 + mile bike ride complete with some personal records and didn't seem to bother my ankle too much. Again the bike saves me.

Speaking of Superbowl,, I was disappointed that New England didn't win the big game against the Ravens. Growing up in New England it would have been a fun conflict for me and when San Francisco wins I could needle my family and friends from back there.

Just a short update but hoping to have more to put on here this weekend when I have some time. I now try not to blog when I'm in the deep negative so, the reason behind my sporadic blogging this month.

Biking, Running, Dogs - Time Down With Injury -thoughts-

Some of the benefits of riding my bike. I can actually carry my camera with me so I'm coming across some nice photo ops lately.

This was over the weekend and the surf was unusually high coming under the Golden Gate. A Surfers dream or, nightmare I guess.

 It's now coming up on three weeks of no running! I'm becoming obsessed with this issue, waking in the middle of the night with anxiety and losing sleep over it. Fortunately I can ride the bike with a little discomfort. It probably has been a good thing in a way because I'm spending a lot of time doing core work, reading about running science, training and letting the rest of my body (my back) heal from the beating it took all through 2012.

Realized recently I could easily become one of those crazy "A&E Channel" Dog Hoarders if it wasn't for Cathy disallowing any more mutts coming on board.
I happened to see this doggie on my bike ride Sunday and she looked so much like my Beyonce that it made me think..."I'd love two of those"!

My Beyonce

The one I wanted to steal...

I'm reading "Born To Run" for a second time. I first read it when I started running back in the beginning of 2012. Over this past year the information, stories and characters have become much more pertinent to where my head is now. I love the book and actually understand some of the controversy surrounding Christopher McDougall's portrayal of the characters, experiences and how many athletes felt unhappy with his recollections and characterizations of them.

Going back and researching some of the responses from the main players in past interviews gives it all a bit of a "Soap Opera" quality. I didn't even know who "Anne Trason" was last year. Now I realize how she probably is one of the most amazing athletes of our time. How did that one get away from me. Her accomplishments are truly astonishing.

Here is a link to a fantastic rare interview with Anne Trason by writer/runner Sara Lavender Smith.

Here is another great blog regarding the controversy with Anne "Sponsor The Fool Blog"

I've been living in the cycling world too long!

One of the other thoughts that woke me up in the middle of the night. "Barefoot Running"! There is a great argument for barefoot/minimalist running and how the shoe industry may have created more foot issues in regards to design than they ever could have imagined. It brings to mind the movie a saw many years ago "The Jerk"... Invention gone bad.

Two months into my experiment with running last year I developed serious IT Band issues. I made a trip back to Fleet Feet SF and got myself into a pair of 0 drop Brooks. The problem went away immediately.

Yesterday I started walking around in a pair of my old surf shoes and worked through the day in them. My ankle felt a lot better tonight and the pain was a lot less with the pressure on it. I think my running shoes were forcing my ankle into a pronation situation that was causing a lot of pain.

I'm thinking about getting a pair of the Vibram FiveFingers to start working with while my ankle heals. 

These may be my Marathon shoes, Brooks Pure Drift.




One thought here... I imagine any die hard runners out there that may happen to read my blog and their eyes just rolling reading this.

"Dude! Been there already"!
"You're a little late for the party".

That's true but, I get like that with runners who have just discovered cycling. Can't help being sarcastic with them sometimes. I think I'm alienating my Cycling friends too.

"Yep, He's gone to the darkside".
"Now we'll be running into him every day coming up the bike path the wrong way"!

In reality I think I'll always be half and half Bike/Run. I love my bike and it's a lot more forgiving on this ancient body.

I'm sitting here now madly editing photos, reading blogs for inspiration and trying hard not to give into that sad little pity party calling me on down to it's dark wild orgy of self doubt and mental ass kicking...Poor me...

I'm on the injured list with this damn sprained ankle that is getting worse. Now moving into my second week and I'm going crazy not being able to start out my well planned training strategy for 2013. I've forced myself today to do a minimum of tasks to try and rest my ankle after riding my bike, walking, working and running around with the dogs over the weekend and through the beginning of this week.

In a timely stroke of luck I happened to catch a new post from Bay Area athlete, writer Sara Lavender Smith in regards to a truly inspiring local athlete "Eldrith Gosney who is still running strong at age 71! I'm impressed with what this women has been through and the personal fortitude she digs up from within herself to keep moving forward and staying strong.
Here is the article in "The Runners Trip".

This led me to even more stories of athletes who have triumphed over adversity, muscled up and resolved to accomplish their goals no matter what. Another story  hit home in this post:
"ULTRARUNNER LISA SMITH-BATCHEN"

Thanks Sarah for these great inspiring articles and interviews!

My ankle issue seems minor in comparison!

I just need to be patient and utilize my down time intelligently so, here I sit dusting off the cobwebs in my brain with some photo editing, reading, plotting and planning. The one plus is I really hate the cold so, this is giving me an excuse for not doing anything outside.

Yesterday I painfully rode my bike up to San Bruno Mountain to watch and photograph the annual New Years day race. My friend and cyclist extraordinaire "Chris Phipps" took third. He usually wins everything pretty much. When I met up with him, his first words were,

"These kids are killing me"!

Yeah! welcome to the club! He has a great attitude and for him it's just the fun of riding competing that makes all the hard work worthwhile. By the way Chris is an astounding runner and comes from that world to begin with. He actually initialized my curiosity for running awhile back.

He's truly an inspiration and a real athlete with the right attitude.

More picts from SBM.

We were pummeled with doggy day care over the holidays. I had to break up a few small skirmishes on occasion but, all and all it went well. My "Lady Gaga" rules the roost and assisted me in keeping everyone in line...

She's really my true buddy even though she's got a lot of issues...

We have on particular dog who's a bit of a regular. She's getting on in years, losing her teeth (the ones she has left really hurt) and forgets who you are from time to time but, she's so damn cute.
She kind of looks like her owner...
NINJA or as I like to call her NIKKI MY NINJA...
I think she managed to bite everyone who came through the door during her week long stay!
Happy New Year...!

Sleeping Dogs...

So, I'm staying strong. Trying to stay inspired and hoping to heal soon. I'll just wait till there is "no pain" and then try to run. I'm a little worried. I was hoping to have a complete 16 weeks training before my next Marathon. We shall see what the future brings...

Thank you to all those who inspire me. That will be my thought through this new year. "Live the dream".