Double. Double? Toil and trouble. September 6, 2007
Posted by anton in : Angst , 2 commentsI had planned to use that title when I finished the Double on October 7th.
Had to use it now…the Double just isn’t going to happen …at least this year.
My hip really flares up on the bike and even though I’ve had my position tweeked…I am too far in the hole to get through the Double without really messing myself up. I’ve missed three weekends of biking….Big miles.
Running is fine for some odd reason…ran 18 today in hot and nasty conditions.
Deep breath. Shrug. Move on.
Since my running is ok, I’m still on a guarded track for Marine Corps Marathon and then the JFK 50 Miler with Scott (Beads 1985.) then Goofy Challenge for the third and last time…I love that race, butthere are too many other races I’d like to do…
My wife…bless her…says whenever I want to go for the double again…she’s there for support.
So…I’ll tuck this away on the back of the mental files…
Hip. Hip. Oy-Vey! August 28, 2007
Posted by anton in : Angst , 3 commentsSo training for the double is crazy…Which sort of fits me…I’m just a tad off kilter.
The weekend of the 18th and 19th…was really the first big weekend after IMLP and it’s recovery.
101 on the bike Friday. 2.5 hour run on Saturday and another 65 on the bike Sunday.
Tuesday morning…my left hip is sore to the touch and it’s not the ITB. Deep inside…like bone.
|
|
These two lines are 1/4 inch long. It’s the difference between my right leg and left leg, my right being shorter.
85% of the population has the same thing usually on the same side as the dominate hand.
85% of the population doesn’t do endurance sports, so it isn’t often a problem.
It first popped up for me in the late 70’s running huge ammounts when I lived in Colorado. The Lydard Days with everyone putting in 100 mile weeks. Got hip pain…saw the doctor…got my first pair of orthotics..problem solved…
I’ve gone back and forth with this ever since…for some years when I wasn’t running that much it didn’t matter…when I started racing bikes and riding a lot in the 80’s it came up again and I need to put a lift on my cycling shoes…all was aces after that.
Have had several pairs of othotics and finally settled on just a heel lift per the docs direction…that has been fine through 18 ultras, 3 ironman events a bunch of marathons and other races and all the attendant training.
Here it is again…cycling really makes it pop up and last weekend was obviously too much…
So…several days off, new shoes from If the Shoe Fits in Frederick…some stretching…a short run today…feels ok now.
I’m giving it several more days to see which way the wind is blowing before I pull the plug on doing the Double.
If the pain continues and flares and prevents me from getting in the milage I need to finish a Double ( I already missed running a 50k last weekend and biking another 100) I’m out.
This was probably my only shot.
I’m getting older…Training for and doing this years IMLP took more effort and the recovery was harder than the last one I did three years ago.
Too much other stuff to do…too many fun races,Ultras, trips to the mountains,travel and rides to do to spend SOOOO much time training for a Double. I’m laying off IM’s too until my next age group change (I’ll go 55-59 in 2009.)
Damn …I really wanted that Tat!
You want angst? I got plenty. October 28, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , 1 comment so farHere it is…the day before MCM and I am all sorts of angst ridden. Which is odd. I’m usually not. At some point today,(as Lance says) I’ll grab the left side of my brain,smack it around a bit and yell “Shut up,shut up,shut up!”
It’s all about the brain…toss in a dose of injury and OY! The left side is the side that says “Oh you don’t have to do this. Stay Home and relax. You are injured ya know… Quit! Right here. If you stop, the pain stops!”
My back is much better…I’m 80% maybe…and since in “The Book of Limits for Anton S. ” a “Go” is 65%, I’m well outside the limits for sleeping in.
I’m looking at his picture. The one I’ll carry with me. It almost brings me to tears. Tomorrow I am sure it will.
Lance Cpl.James. I promised him I would carry his spirit. He was a great kid. He should be running himself tomorrow.
He ran track and we would talk about running and how he would like to run a marathon one day. Tomorrow is his marathon.
Lots to do today…Hit up the packet pickup and expo yesterday and scored some new trail shoes. Brooks Cascadia. JFK in three weeks. Have to lay out the clothes check and re-check everything make sure I have enough snacks…Succeed Caps and what not. Shave the legs, and get in a short easy run…Have to get a camera too…I’m going to take some pics for the blog and for fun.
Race time 8:25. Mary Lou is running the 10K and her start time is 9:00. Weather: 38 to a high of 58, Windy. Sweet.
If it dosen’t kill you… October 21, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , add a commentIf it doesn’t kill you …it might hurt like hell!
Out for my last longish (15 mile) run before Marine Corps Marathon last weekend…gliding through the forest…strong..happy…
WHOA! WOOPS! OUCH!!!
With the leaves coming down and covering the trail roots and all you have to pay extra attention. I didn’t for a second and slipped. I probably looked like one of those guys who throw themselves across the finish line in the 100 meters. No tumble, no bitting the dirt ,no nasty trail rash but a feeling in my lower back like someone shoved an ice pick in my back down in the direction of my right cheek. Jeepers it hurt.
Of course then all these things come flying at you…Can I still run the Marathon?…Can I train? Am I screwed?
After a few miles of that, I realize it is all just ego and get off of it. I never really care about my time in endurance events, just letting the chips fall where they may. Being a clock Nazi is just not me. But I digress…
Being a runner, I didn’t stop. Ran another 8 miles. By the time I got home, it sort of felt ok. An hour later I could barely move. Tried taking care of it at home, but by Wednesday I had to get in to see my Chiropracter. I love this guy. He helped fix my neck and shoulder this past summer and got me back into the pool…swimming again without stiffness or pain.
He has been doing his thing and I feel so much better..three more treatments next week…
I’m actually resting these last two weeks before MCM…Have been riding the trainer to keep some fitness, a few walks with a little jogging and some short runs next week. Seeing what the back will bear. A very significant taper!
While I won’t be setting any records next Sunday at MCM, I am confident that I’ll finish and have a great day.
After the race I’ll see how it feels and then decide on the JFK 50 miler on November 18. Really would like to do that as it would be the tenth anniversary of my first 50 mile finish.
If not…sights set on the Goofy Challenge in January.
Mary Lou’s running is going well. She ran her first ever 9 miler yesterday as she preps for The Disney Half Marathon.
I’m so proud of her, a newbie runner at the age of 53.
Working to the bike this weekend..new components to lighten it up a bit.
IM training starts in 50 days…
If you look.. August 27, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , add a commentIf you look at my ass,you can still see the footprint of the Annapolis 10 miler.
Talk about a good bum whippin’…
Here is the course profile:
http://www.annapolisstriders.org/images/A10Profile2003.jpg
Now, I run hills all the time and if you look,it’s really not that bad…
unless for some unknown reason nothing worked.
My legs didn’t. My arms didn’t. My head didn’t.
To use one of my favorite words…I was all akimbo.
I love the A-10 and this is the 9th time I’ve done it.
It’s not your typical 10er. Hilly ,Hot, Humid. Very runner friendly. A jewel. One of the best 10 milers in the US
and MUCH better than the Army Ten which is too huge to be fun.
Started at 7:45 and by the first mile marker I felt like it was all a big mistake.
Legs wern’t turning over and I just didn’t feel right. At that point in a race I usually say “Ok, just Jog in and don’t worry about it.”
But at mile 1!
Managed to get through the next 9 with diminishing returns and just felt awful.
Crossed the line in 1:21, barely. My PR on this course is 1:13 and I usually run about 1:15..so really, I am not disappointed. I try not to have expectations when I race…makes it easier.
I’m just stumped…My training for this falls long races has been going well. I tapered this week…my legs felt good this morning…when I started to move…no dice.
This is what I tell folks all the time. You never know what is going to happen on race day..ever.
You can be tan,rested and ready and have a sucky race OR you can jump in a race that you’re not ready for and have a stellar day.
Besides…I have no room to bitch today with so many of the trifuel mob doing Ironman Canada!
The Dreaded Newman O. August 23, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , 1 comment so farThis is an off week for me…not really off just a low volume of workouts. Running the Annapolis 10 miler on Sunday. One of my favorite races and I like to have rested legs for it.
The only problem with down weeks…is the eating. For some reason I seem to want to eat more even though I’m working out less. I do really well with fruits and veggies,whole grains and such…Then I do something very stupid,like walk down the cookie asile.
I love Oreos. Nutterbutter. Chocolate chip anything. It is my bane. My demon. My extra five pounds.
I especially like Newman O’s. Paul Newman’s Organic take on Oreo’s.
Cold. Out of the freezer. With skim milk.
I am eating one right now.
It will be the last time I eat one until next July. After Ironman.
I do ok at 165. I do alot better at 160.
If I can do this…avoid eating cookies till after Ironman next July,I will have accomplished something more difficult for me than finishing in Lake Placid.
I will have walked that razors edge without falling off.
The Ramp… August 9, 2006
Posted by anton in : Angst , add a commentThis week things start getting serious for Fall. Lately I just kind of float along and see which way the wind is blowing as to what kind of workout I’ll do for the day…Long runs,short runs,long rides, short rides and all short swims,lifting,climbing or 12 oz. curls (Stella Artois).
But this weekend, Friday actually, I get in my first 18 mile run of the fall season as things begin to ramp up. Have been building up with last saturday being 15.5 miles and very hilly.
This is how the next year looks:
Marine Corps Marathon
Jfk 50 Miler
Goofy Challange at Disney
Lake Placid Loppett (50k)
Columbia
Tin Man
Iron Man USA Lake Placid
And that’s just the big stuff…I hope to sprinkle in the usually ten milers and what not, and I’m not counting the organized centuries as …well a hundred mile bike ride is just training.
The biggest trick will be to stay on the raamp and not peel off the side because of accident ,injury or stupidity…
so I guess I’m a little anxious about it.
My goal though is to do these things…and at the same time have no expectations about them.
I KNOW that life is fickle and throws curve balls with the skill of Sandy Koufax.(Look it up if you’re younger than 40).
Just look at the DNF’s from any race or the No shows and you’ll see what I mean.
I also know that life is too serious to take seriously, and If I dump my soul into next years Ironman and fail…It will be at great cost…
This weeks workouts so far have gone well.
The battle of the bi-lateral breath is humming along. Runs are good, and I ride my bike like the Huns rode horses.