Over the course of the last 3 weeks I was supposed to lose 3 pounds; instead I gained 3. Obviously I have no advantage from being my own worst enemy.
A friend has pointed out my lack of blog postings, the reasons have been busy schedule & feeling blue because of my crappy running.
First, and worst, I am injured. Sort-of...maybe. About 10 days ago I did a 14 miler (yea!) and felt a new 'minor' pain in my lower left leg. Then the next day I went out to run a few easy miles and the pain was very sharp and I had to cut it short & just walk it in. Second issue: been very busy and something had to give so it was the blog. bummer.
I've had a cold (second one) which is now a sinus infection with the harsh headache. This is the first winter with 2 colds in many years (since kids were toddlers). Both colds came on after long runs in frigid temps... so obviously I need to do a better job bolstering my immunity & I think lack of sleep (stress) and nutrition (poor) have played a role too.
Today has been my first really good running day in a while.
1. ran 4 miles - pain free for the first time in a week & a half.
2. catching up on all sorts of stuff...blog reading & writing coming soon. We had kids home 2 days from school due to snow, about 6 inches but the roads were still very icy the second morning. Fun sledding, etc. but absolutely killing my 'easy' week where I'm supoosed to get stuff done.
How have you been? Running, work, life? I read your post on M&M's recently. Believe me, your eating habits are fine compared to my total pig out the last few weeks. I've been kind of stressed, and on top then add depressed about marathon goal slipping away because of new injury. I tend to consume mass quantities when under pressure and/or feeling sorry for myself, so therefore i've been totally gluttonous recently!
Maybe I can get back onto the training plan, it's not too late yet, but time is slipping away. It's a week & a half to my half marathon race. I already paid that entry fee. I have not registered for the VCmarathon yet, they are approximately 60% sold out. I have no idea where my fitness level is right now. I want to race the half, but it's a dicey proposition with the new leg pain. I'm feeling like I should coast into this first race of the season, then if I come out of it healthy I will ramp up the training again. If I encounter any more obstacles then the May marathon just isn't going to happen (and I'll look to the fall season instead).
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Super Bowlin Prediction
Well on Super Bowl Sunday what better timing to make my postings today really really over the top testosterone loaded guy-stuff. Ladies, if you're faint of heart then please skip today's entries.
Not that my blog to date (yes - I've now cleared the one month hurdle) has been dainty or feminant, but today before my run *GREAT RUN TODAY* I had an idea for a grossly humorous post based on my pre-run ritual. Then while out in the woods I came across the evidence of one animal enforcing the food-chain pecking order onto another animal. Photo below shows the remains of the carnage.
Bottom line: Based on remains of chewed up cardinal - I'm going "out on a limb" to predict the the poor Cards will be utterly destroyed today by the Steelers. Second prediction, halftime score: I'll be high as a kite by then.
Here's the story: I'm running a 10 miler thru the woods and about half way in I spot a bird's leg & claw in the snow at the side of the trail. I go back and yep, sure enough it's one leg of a cardinal. I quickly scan around for more, but seeing nothing I take off again. I know for certain that there's Sharp-shin's & Coopers hawks in these woods. I've seen them flying so adeptly thru the branches. And I've seen them devourering their favorite meal of other birds. But I've never actually seen the moment of the catch and/or kill. But now I can say I've found the remains of the parts that these awesome birds can't digest. And let me tell you, there's not much that they leave behind.
After finding someone's bright red ski mask/hat in the cross paths of the open field, I decided to do my good deed of the day & take it up to the ranger's station. While there I decided to double back & explore around to see if I could find more scraps than just the leg & claw. This added about a mile to my run, but I also took a break looking around the area. About 20 or 25 yards off the path I found a half a skull of the cardinal, beak intact. Both these items were very fresh and right on top of the snow. I moved the skull fragment back over to the leg so that I could get a photo of both together.
Bad day for the cardinals!
Not that my blog to date (yes - I've now cleared the one month hurdle) has been dainty or feminant, but today before my run *GREAT RUN TODAY* I had an idea for a grossly humorous post based on my pre-run ritual. Then while out in the woods I came across the evidence of one animal enforcing the food-chain pecking order onto another animal. Photo below shows the remains of the carnage.
Bottom line: Based on remains of chewed up cardinal - I'm going "out on a limb" to predict the the poor Cards will be utterly destroyed today by the Steelers. Second prediction, halftime score: I'll be high as a kite by then.
Here's the story: I'm running a 10 miler thru the woods and about half way in I spot a bird's leg & claw in the snow at the side of the trail. I go back and yep, sure enough it's one leg of a cardinal. I quickly scan around for more, but seeing nothing I take off again. I know for certain that there's Sharp-shin's & Coopers hawks in these woods. I've seen them flying so adeptly thru the branches. And I've seen them devourering their favorite meal of other birds. But I've never actually seen the moment of the catch and/or kill. But now I can say I've found the remains of the parts that these awesome birds can't digest. And let me tell you, there's not much that they leave behind.
After finding someone's bright red ski mask/hat in the cross paths of the open field, I decided to do my good deed of the day & take it up to the ranger's station. While there I decided to double back & explore around to see if I could find more scraps than just the leg & claw. This added about a mile to my run, but I also took a break looking around the area. About 20 or 25 yards off the path I found a half a skull of the cardinal, beak intact. Both these items were very fresh and right on top of the snow. I moved the skull fragment back over to the leg so that I could get a photo of both together.
Bad day for the cardinals!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Weekend Trail Run
I did a really great run yesterday, and haven't been able to blog on about it because I've just been busy with my weekend. But now everyone has gone to bed and I'm just watching the idiot tube so I can sign in.
As planned I went into BCSP. Since there was no snow I wasn't in any hurry to get out there...was actually hoping snow might arrive, but it didn't. Later we got the "wintery mix" of sleet, freezing rain, flurries, etc. Anyway it was cold and the woods were quiet and still. It's supposed to get colder this coming week with highs in the 20's for most of the week!
I hadn't been on these trails for like 2 months and there was tons of leaves covering the trail. I already know there's lots of rocks & roots so I took it easy, about a 10 minute mile pace. Somehow I missed the usual cut-off down to the river. I was almost to the south end where the trail meets the road at the old mill & damn when the trail suddenly became packed gravel. Yikes! When did this happen? I realized where I was, but they've ruined this stretch that used to be single track. WTF?!?! Then some bikers were coming up the trail as I was heading down toward the river. Now they're encouraging mtn bikes on this trail??
I took the river path down & back taking in the sights. I was running thru this area every week during the summer. Really can see so much more of the lay of the land with all the plants down & branches bare. I saw a few steep rock hills that were calling to me. I resisted, and usually don't like to blaze str8 into the woods. I stick to the paths. There is one very steep trail that goes up a 100 feet over boulders. I've taken that way once before and couldn't resist today.
This is the type of steep climb that you need to get your hands onto the rocks and lean into the hill. Grabbing roots and whatever hand holds you can get. I wish I had my camera - there were some icicles from a few rocks. And there were some ice crystals that had pushed up from the dirt and looked like stalks of ice arranged in patterns with small bits of dirt & pebbles on the top of each one. very cool. Anyway I made it to the top just in time to look back down and see another person going by on the path below - a long way down. I found the trail that leads thru the pine grove and then decided to alter my planned 5 mile route. I was getting into this run and didn't want it to end. I went uphill thru the 'rocky run' meadow. All the branches of the briars & berry thorns were shades of blue & purple which was really wild/trippy looking. I went by the big old beech that fell down in a storm last summer. My sons and I cut branches off of this mighty fallen giant. These are still drying in the garage and this spring we'll be making hiking staffs from these branches. My son's initials are carved into the fallen tree trunk. This tree was a great trail obstacle for about 2 weeks until the park cut a wide section of the trunk. bummer.
The biggest stream crossing here, stayed dry. Big uphill, then loop along mtn bike area. The final 1/4 mile back to my car is a constant incline which I couldn't help but to push the pace. I felt strong and I like to finish fast on most of my slow runs. I just can't resist the speed. Final time is exactly one hour. My estimate is 6 miles. Fully stretched immediately after. My calf muscles were really pumped from the final hill. They felt tired for the rest of the day and I anticipated PF pain today. Surprisingly I feel great, no pain! Maybe more running is better? Now I'm really guessing what the best course of action is for the situation. But for now I'm enjoying it. More runs like this one! A perfect blend of effortless while running and then happy exhaustion when done.
As planned I went into BCSP. Since there was no snow I wasn't in any hurry to get out there...was actually hoping snow might arrive, but it didn't. Later we got the "wintery mix" of sleet, freezing rain, flurries, etc. Anyway it was cold and the woods were quiet and still. It's supposed to get colder this coming week with highs in the 20's for most of the week!
I hadn't been on these trails for like 2 months and there was tons of leaves covering the trail. I already know there's lots of rocks & roots so I took it easy, about a 10 minute mile pace. Somehow I missed the usual cut-off down to the river. I was almost to the south end where the trail meets the road at the old mill & damn when the trail suddenly became packed gravel. Yikes! When did this happen? I realized where I was, but they've ruined this stretch that used to be single track. WTF?!?! Then some bikers were coming up the trail as I was heading down toward the river. Now they're encouraging mtn bikes on this trail??
I took the river path down & back taking in the sights. I was running thru this area every week during the summer. Really can see so much more of the lay of the land with all the plants down & branches bare. I saw a few steep rock hills that were calling to me. I resisted, and usually don't like to blaze str8 into the woods. I stick to the paths. There is one very steep trail that goes up a 100 feet over boulders. I've taken that way once before and couldn't resist today.
This is the type of steep climb that you need to get your hands onto the rocks and lean into the hill. Grabbing roots and whatever hand holds you can get. I wish I had my camera - there were some icicles from a few rocks. And there were some ice crystals that had pushed up from the dirt and looked like stalks of ice arranged in patterns with small bits of dirt & pebbles on the top of each one. very cool. Anyway I made it to the top just in time to look back down and see another person going by on the path below - a long way down. I found the trail that leads thru the pine grove and then decided to alter my planned 5 mile route. I was getting into this run and didn't want it to end. I went uphill thru the 'rocky run' meadow. All the branches of the briars & berry thorns were shades of blue & purple which was really wild/trippy looking. I went by the big old beech that fell down in a storm last summer. My sons and I cut branches off of this mighty fallen giant. These are still drying in the garage and this spring we'll be making hiking staffs from these branches. My son's initials are carved into the fallen tree trunk. This tree was a great trail obstacle for about 2 weeks until the park cut a wide section of the trunk. bummer.
The biggest stream crossing here, stayed dry. Big uphill, then loop along mtn bike area. The final 1/4 mile back to my car is a constant incline which I couldn't help but to push the pace. I felt strong and I like to finish fast on most of my slow runs. I just can't resist the speed. Final time is exactly one hour. My estimate is 6 miles. Fully stretched immediately after. My calf muscles were really pumped from the final hill. They felt tired for the rest of the day and I anticipated PF pain today. Surprisingly I feel great, no pain! Maybe more running is better? Now I'm really guessing what the best course of action is for the situation. But for now I'm enjoying it. More runs like this one! A perfect blend of effortless while running and then happy exhaustion when done.
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