Four Weeks Off

Wow, I’ve been off for a month. Brutal. I don’t like it. Actually, I detest it. The warm weather is here, runners are everywhere in shorts, comp sox, brand new sexy spring runners. I felt really crumby this morning so I thought I wouldtake  the kid out for a stroller ride at least get some fresh air and exercise.  So don't I see this very fit, very fast runner, with her ironman gear on, full on fuel belt and mizuno mushas (Hack’s shoe!) go blazing by me using the bike route on Dundas in the beach. She had this huge smile on her face like Chrissy Wellington. Envious I am because I knew exactly what she was doing. She was running my 8 mile hilly tempo route. That was so in my face! I actually feel like the dude in those adidas commercials from last year. You know, the ones where he breaks up with “running” but sees “running” everywhere. I went back through my diaries and running logs, I haven’t been off this long since it all began six years ago. Once again, keeping with the positive, I’m pretty lucky I suppose, it could have been worse. Additionally, I have managed to keep those 40lbs off I initially lost, I have to be proud of that surely.

THE KNEE STATUS

Its hard to say where I’m at right now. There was a time yesterday while taking the boy out for a wagon ride, uphill I might add, that I felt great. In fact I didn’t feel any pain at all most of the day. I get up this morning, and I am at the opposite end of the spectrum. It actually kind of feels like it did after the first week off. Even after stretching and chugging back a couple of ibuprofens it still feels crappy. I might seek a second opinion if I don’t see any progress in a few weeks. A fellow runner buddy of mine thinks its not my meniscus at all and that it could actually just be an inflamed plica. Maybe that would be alright, I would take inflammation over a tear any day. Nonetheless I suppose time will tell. In the meantime, nothing wrong with strengthening the knee, specifically the vastus medialis.

Here is the w/o and phsyio I am working on now. Everyday. It feels good to at least do something. I am really hopeful to run a fall marathon and train again this spring and summer.

http://www.whyiexercise.com/knee-strengthening-exercises.html

There is always a positive

 even when you DNS on the first race of the year. The Burlington half was this past Sunday. Not only was I stoked for it, I was looking for a winter PB!  It was suppose to be my tune up for the Bay Race 30K in a few weeks. I’m actually still in denial, I went and picked up my kit like I was going to toe the line on Sunday. I sold myself on the idea that I should “get my free shirt, I mean I did pay for it”. The truth, I was secretly hoping that something magical would happen and I would just wake up Sunday without any pain. Just to rub a little salt in the wounds, Sunday morning was a spectacular day, like the quintessential day for racing. Its over, whatever, move on.

So the nuts and bolts of it, It looks like I have a grade one sprain or possible tear that has put an official halt on the Boston pursuit for now, or has it? The truth is, I’m 23 minutes in arrears of the required Q time. That translates to a minute a mile I need. In reality, it may even be a faster time that I will need now as the regs for Boston have changed a little. No need to get into the specifics of it, other then to say if I really truly want this, I can’t just lace em up and run. Its obvious those days are over I have to make wholesale changes and commitments.

Next week, the road to recovery, the path for the rebuild, the pursuit for glory. The runners blog will be.....a stretchers/physio blog? I dunno. Something like that. The point is, don’t give up on me. I will do this. I will make this happen!

A quick thumbs up to Dylan Wykes, a very fast Canadian runner of ours trying to make the Canadian Olympic standard time. It unfortunately didn’t happen for him over the weekend in Japan, citing some GI issues that took over early and often forcing him out. All I can say is “Chin up brother”, that is the beauty of this sport, its so rare to have it all come together, but when it does, which has been the case for Dylan several times in his career, its pretty special.

Here is something really special for you all. It really sums it all up.....

Keep fightin, always!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBSU9kkSC3I&feature=related