2/8/2007

Yesterday I swam after class (the last class period I will ever have to take at William Woods). I just did a 1000 yard warm-up (400 FS, 200 kick, 300 pull, 100 FS) and then 4x200 swimming 25 easy 25 hard. Then I did an easy 400 cool down with some pulls and kicks.

I then did some running on the treadmill to determine what my pain threshold was. I just wanted to test how fast I could go (for a very short period of time) before I could feel my sciatica. Surprisingly my limiting factor was my fitness level and not my injury. I only went like 17 minutes but it was enough to feel the burn.

I talked to Ted Zderic because he was coincidentally on the stationary bike directly in front of my treadmill. He gave me some advice on swimming which I may pursue the next time I go out for a workout.

I spent about a half an hour or so doing my exercises. I think the PT is really helping. I'll probably do another 30 minute run/walk today.

2/7/07

Check out http://www.flotrackr.com.

I ran for approximately twenty minutes last night after I rode on the trainer for 24 miles. To be completely candid, I am not a fan of riding a bicycle in one place for an hour. But I set the trainer on the second highest resistance and rode away. I did a few two minute surges here and there but other than that I just tried to maintain 90 RPM at 21-22 MPH. It was harder than I thought, but that is because I didn't realize that I had set the resistance so high.

My run was cold and my legs were very tired. Other than that I felt good. I was just unprepared for how ridiculously cold it had gotten. My hair and shorts were still wet from the bike so they froze.

I think I will run again and swim tonight.

Long Time No Talkie

Man it has been a while since I posted on here. Since nobody has ever read it then I guess my six initial posts were a fruitless endevor. Alas, I should invite some friends.

Just to post a very succinct synopses of what has been going on, I have taken 5 months almost completely off of running. From mid-September to this February, I have been suffering from sciatica. Surprisingly the cause doesn't seem to be from overuse. Last month I began seeing a Physical Therapist who immediately diagnosed me with a back sprain and was confident that I could run again in the near future. Low and behold I am run/walking for 30 minutes per day. So for five days straight (hopefully 6 after tonight) I have been running albeit very slow. The pain has nearly subsided and only tightness and lack of fitness hinder me.

I have also been swimming three nights a week for the last few weeks. I have decided to make my debut at the triathlon this summer. I just need to get a decent bike... the death trap is just not going to cut it.

EB

Thursday

I took Tuesday and Wednesday off and ran eight miles today. I felt pretty good except when I rolled my left ankle. It feels a little tendor but I think I will be okay. I rode my bike to and from work today too. I like riding my bike.

tuesday

Took today off. I rode my new bike though... Raleigh Technium circa 1985. It is pretty sweet. I rode to work and to Try for a new seat and handlebar tape. I am super excited about it. I just ordered some blue tires to match the blue tape and decals. I may build this guy up a little bit. But I may eventually just turn it into a single speed if I decide to move up. But I tell you what, it was pretty freakin' sweet blowing by some "serious" cyclists on my street today. They were wearing their nice bike shirts and shorts on their $4000 litespeeds. It was gratifying to pass them like they were sitting still with me in my work clothes on a $25 yardsale bike. Of course they were probably on their cooldown. And they probably laughed at me as I rode past knowing what a joke I am.

Did some stength stuff this morning. I feel good.

5/8/06

Yesterday I ran the running leg of the Race for Sight Triathlon here in town. My friend Heather swam and our cyclist was named Brady. I guess he is a good biker. Anyway we did pretty well. I think we smoked all of the teams and I hope we beat all of the individuals. It was probably close. Heather swam her 400 meters in about 6:20ish... She would have gone much faster if she wasn't stuck with so many people. I have no idea how fast Brady rode the 14 miles. Probably 40-45 minutes. It was pretty crazy because all of these people who started way before Heather in the swim were coming in and I started to worry that Brady had a flat tire until I realized that there would be at least a 15 minute delay between the elite individuals and us. So Brady finally came hustling in pushing his bike across the infinite field of bike racks to get to us in the far corner. He pulled off the timing chip and threw it on my leg and I was off. But like a typical runner I started my watch as soon as I started running not thinking to wait until after the transition period to start. Oh well I guess I will find out my official time when the results are ready. So I ran what I thought was 2.7 miles. I was breathing hard 400 meters in and my legs felt like garbage. I guess that's what happens when you take four 15 mile weeks before the race. I did the out and back in 15:30 including my run throught the transition area. So I figure somewhere between 15:00-15:15 is my actual time. I thought it was a pretty dismal time considering it was 2.7 miles. But I talked to one of the members of the crew who set up the course. He said that he measured the course out and back from the finish line as 2.7 miles, the loop around the rec center at the start of the leg was added later. With that, he said, the course was about three miles. So I actually ran pretty well especially considering my lack of training. Not bad at all.

So I took Friday and Saturday off last week. So I only ran Monday, Wednesday and Sunday.

Monday May 1: 35 minutes
Wednesday May 3: 30 minutes
Sunday May 7: 2.5 miles up 3 miles race no cool down
Total 14.5 miles

Today I ran 8 miles with Jamie in 52 minutes... out in 27 back in 25. Not bad for running so little. The injuries seem to be gone. Still working on the stengthening. I need to do that consistently for as long as I run competitively to stave off further setbacks. I hope to get 25-30 miles this week. I won't be running that fast again. Though I have heard running fast is sometimes the prescription for coming back from IT band injuries. It has something to do with the biomechanics of faster running. I assume that there is less eversion with quicker turnover. However, I don't want to spur on a new injury. Either way, I am taking it slow and I feel great.

Boston 2007 here I come.

5/3/06

I took yesterday off and ran 30 minutes today... the IT band was a bit tight but I had no pain. I feel that the down time has really helped rid my body of the symptoms. The tightness is probably a result of the injury and the strengthening exercises I have been doing. I am definitely excited to get healthy and I am very willing to do the work needed to kick this thing for good. I think it is working because I can feel myself getting better. But I am still going to be very cautious.

Oh yeah... that's me running in the picture.

I did some pretty heavy duty strength exercises last night. I have developed a yoga type routine that uses ecentric squats and balancing. I think it's pretty good. I did some calf strengthening last night too.

Today I did a little bit of the hip IT band on the step exercise. I can't remember the name of it. I think it works though. I also did some ecentric calf exercises on a step. Achilles tendons feel great.