Run Over by a Choo Choo Nothing

Last week was smart but stoned. I took it easy to give my feet a rest. The left ankle/foot is still a little tweaked. I rolled it probably 2 months ago running in Mission Bay on the grass. I thought nothing of it since I roll my ankle every other trail run especially on technical descents. But this didn't quite go away. It's been bothering me since, sometimes a straight=up ankle swelling, sometimes pain on the top of the foot, sometimes in the lower leg. But it's definitely getting better. The doctor said it looked okay. Just keep an eye on it.

The right heel is more recent. If I straighten my leg and lean forward, there is a tearing feeling on the back of the heel, below the achilles. Googling "heel tearing feeling" gave me a technical name for it, but essentially it's just bizarre and a little painful. I can run on it, but it's definitely a nagging little niggle.

So taking it easy last week was a good idea since I was able to rest the dogs. I ran almost every other day, only three runs. I could tell the training I've been doing over the last few months had been absorbed. I just felt strong, the running was easy, the HR was low (for me ((8ish miles, low-mid 130sHR))). But the rest was good. Smart.

In addition, I got word that my little adventure run was not a go. Big bummer. Last week I think was a short nap, a pause before I begin another journey with some kind of goal. I'm wired for "the event." If you grew-up and excelled at sport, this is what you trained. You have to be ready, prepared to go. If the game/event was bigger than the rest, it was definitely something you thought about. Your body and mind got themselves into position.

I have been training for the Grand Canyon. Having never done an ultra, I knew how important it was going to be to get prepared. And I was doing just that. With the nagging injuries, I shifted, still preparing for the r2r2r. And as much as the body was training, I was getting "wired." Last week was me unraveling. I felt a little relieved once I got past the disappointment. Of course, we rationalize anything. I ate and drank a lot. Ran a little. Slept well. It was a big stoner fest.

So, now it's back to work. I'm going to do some vert this week. I want to do 14k (2K a day) at my local mountain. Today, something happened and I got only 1600. I was worked. I will make it up tomorrow and get this party started once again.

Pass me an IPA.

Tsunami 2

Tsunami

Yo

My Alma Mater


My Employer (great run!)


My Beer today


My Son

Wow

That is one sick video. Horrible stuff.

A little update.

Grand Canyon in April is getting finalized this week. Looks like the r2r2r is being postponed. I got work of this yesterday from the dood with whom I hoped to share the trail. I understand the complications of life. And he's racing 100 miles this coming weekend, so. . . it's all good. Life is a lot more important than a long road-trip/flight to run a big hole that isn't going anywhere (let's hope). I have all kinds of shit happening right now, as well.

I had a job interview this morning. I am still teaching, but that's part-time now since California doesn't have any money. Fine. I still have great benefits and can still get my teaching swerve-on. But I have to move-on, build a bigger sand castle.

To that end, I am also enrolled in a masters program (getting another masters) and trying to get into the technical communications field. Bring it on!

Money is tight right now for sure, so a trip to run r2r2r is a little untimely. On the running front, my left foot is still a little off, but I can live with it. Then, last week my right calf blew-up. I've had some soreness for about a week, thought I'd run through it, but it got gnarly sore (I mean stop and stretch during a run sore, walk, run, ouch). I got-up at 4:00am on Saturday to run 20 and the calf was bad. So I bagged the weekend.

Did all of this injury crap worry me about the r2r2r? Not really. I've done enough work to get that done though it might not be Miss America beautiful. Last week's back to back 17 miles was a little painful but given that, the consistent weekly mileage, and some solid bunches of vertical (a lot of descent, too) makes me feel pretty confident.

But it looks like that achievement has to wait.

Which means I am still going to the Grand Canyon, but I'm taking the family. Stoked actually. This is good. I felt a little guilty about heading down there along because my wife and kid have never been to the Grand Hole (I've been and hiked it twice). So now I can take them and really take it all in.

And I will recon either Bright Angel or S. Kaibab, running to the bottom and back. This gives me a nice taste of a section of the run, but I get to spend more time enjoying the area with my clan.

If there are some fellas coming down from CO, I still look forward to meeting those guys.

I'm getting pretty psyched now about finalizing the plans and getting my feet dirty.

I'm Sick

or just really really sad.

I didn't even know who Sally Meyerhoff was.
But reading the little bio contained in that article
told me all I need to know. She kicked ass.
She was 27 when a truck hit her, while cycling.
She won the Xterra Worlds and said it was one of
the toughest races she'd ever run.
She ran a 2:35:xx marathon.

The fucking bike. Errrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Rest in peace, Sally.

I am Screwing with my Blog

So, I turned off comments.

And now they're back on.

Then I made the blog private, which is very weird and I hated having to invite people.

It should be open and naked and available for people to relieve themselves upon.

But I gotta say that making it private is what I was looking for because
A) I only have a few readers and they're still welcomed
B) There is a family friend that sorta keeps tabs on us and it pisses us off (sorta).

Now I'm done.

Another Day Another Phase

Yo,

New week and a new quote on the blog that says it ALL.
(I'm still proselytizing ALE UP AND GET LONG)

And not to be a prick or a wuss, but the comments component has consisted pretty much of guys I email, so no loss there. One of my homies comments on my training log, so no loss there either.
Just cleaning-up the failure that is a blog that google doesn't want to molest, pat on the head and take to bed (in popularity).

Saw this via email from a buddy. This is interesting since the guy will apparently break Dave Mackey's R2R2R record in about a month. The point is . . . it's a mother fucker? No shit.
And good luck?

I remember hiking the canyon 2-3 times as a Boy Scout. My brother and I and a few other grommets would lead the charge up or down. On one trip, our obese Scout Master got into some "trouble" so I volunteered to hike some water back to him. When I got to him, he slammed the canteen of water and then threw it up. Leadership? I shouldn't say that. He was a good guy.

I plan to hike a ton in that canyon. Sounds like there is an 8 miler on the floor of the canyon going both ways (~16 miles) and then a bunch of up and down. My quads are getting into fine shape for the downs, but I'm not messing around with going too fast on the floor or trying to run the ascents.

If your new to this bloggerhood, follow this guy. He's the one with all the bright ideas!

Saturday

Thursday

Well, yesterday was a solid back to work effort. 13 miles and 3500ft of vert (2:24) at the lovely Mission Trails Park. I did my 10 mile loop of 2500ft and added another little loop. One water bottle, which I put trail-side after the first big climb, was a perfect intersection for my loopiness.

These trails have very steep grades. Three of the hills were easily 30%. I have been smashed on these as recently as a couple of weeks ago. What I liked about yesterday was I was hiking more efficiently (faster, easier) and then recovering quicker as I easily got back to running (ran everything I could). So, I think it was a good day. Definitely a tough one. And along with the ascent, I got a lot of solid steep technical descents to keep me honest. The valley trail I used to get from N. Fortuna to South was brilliant. Rolling, soft, just perfect conditions.

I guess my only concern is still my feet. My left foot ankle was a little sore from all of the pounding (single track, tons of rocks, really the worst kind of run for a bad foot ankle), but my feet in general were very sore. This has been consistent on some of my long runs. My effort is holding-up (I'm not bonking despite very little fuel), but my body needs to get stronger.

Especially my feet. And it's not the shoes, since I have fixed that problem.

Afterlife

I was going to run today. I was going to get back on the climbing horse.

I packed a little lunch to take to work, and ate it at 9:00am. During work, when I wasn't talking, I was thinking about eating. I left some mail at the house, so stopping there before heading-off for a run was necessary (did I plant it, sabotage my day in order to eat?). After work, I drove home.

And I ate.

Another day off? I started thinking I'd hit the gym at night (a really bad sign). More food.
Then I had errands to do. The grocery store. Take kid to kung fu. The grocery store.

No run.

I do feel a loss. There was almost something tragic about it. Like last week, I will have another 5 day week to run my ass off. Literally. . . pass me a tissue. . .

so I can blow my nose.

There is hope. I discovered a new beer. I ran into a six pack of Eye of the Hawk.
This is no joke. $6.99, a Cali strong ale that has a nice balance of hops and malt (sure I like a little hoppier, but I'm definitely willing to negotiate). 8% ABV. It's going down great and for a guy on a serious budget, this is a big find. I almost bought a sixer of Fat Weasel Pale Ale, but saw the Mendocino born IPA Lucho's been drinking and kept going. The Eye is kin.

The Eye is for real, not a cheap ale it sorta sounds like. Read the first 3 reviews on BA.
Actually, go buy some and try it yourself.

This reminds me of the summer (I think '08) when I was getting 6ers of Ballast Point Big Eye IPA for 6.99 at Rite Aid. Everyone else had it for 8.99 and up. Rite Aid hadn't gotten word? Who knows. Now it's pretty much $10 for 6 like every other "quality" beer.

Look me in The Eye: I'm running tomorrow.