Our Feat

I'm hanging-out with the kid a lot these days. I work at night, wife does the day shift, so the two boys get some errands done and hit the beach or pool. We live in a complex that has a ridiculous pool scene. Big lap pool (which I've been using), kid pool, and jacuzzi. NO RUNNING still. I have another week and a half or so before I will step foot on the trail. This sprain is ugly. Our complex has a little weight room, so I continue to do presses, squats and dead lifts. I'm adding to the routine. I'm enjoying it. I feel boringly solid, not strong, but as if I'm doing something.

Last weekend the wife and I had a date night. She had a certificate for a free massage, so we decided to cash that in while I tapped the joint's reflexology goods. Do you know of this thing: reflexology? The title of this blog is certainly a nice nod to the well-worn running apparatus. But I have a serious foot fetish, as well. I need to learn a lot more about reflexology, so I can tell people more about it, specifically.

I got an unusual approach this time around (I have had enough treatments to say this was not the norm). She is a Chinese gal who instead of using the more conventional approach of targeting the various reflexes we have in our feet that correspond to parts of our bodies, she used the Chinese Meridian. She did not ask for any personal information (am I injured, have allergies, illnesses, etc., that might help inform her treatment). I offered some. I am injured. I have a borderline thyroid issue (hypo) and I like Indian Pale ale.

Let's just say she ignored everything I said, absolutely destroyed my injured foot (meaning she wasn't shy beating-up both feet), and left me belly-up begging for more. The spot that addresses my liver energy (which relates to stress and irritability) and happens to be my "soft spot," the one my mom honed when I was a child and under her tickling tutelage, got torched! Loved it.

The foot is doing better I think. I've been icing. I paddle-boarded for about a half-hour last weekend, ran my kid through some soccer drills (and yes ran lightly), but other than that it's been swimming (no kicking), a little lifting, and sitting on my ass, enjoying the warm weather.

And the reading. I have a lot of research to do. My friend and I are itching to start covering at length much of the world of trail/mountain/ultra/adventure running (there's is a much more succinct way of saying that). He is running Leadville and I'm sure will be assessing that situation shortly. We have a stellar interview coming-up that Tim has brilliantly fetched - stay tuned to his blog. And we will be talking about Pikes and UTMB in the coming weeks, providing some commentary, opinion, etc. Why? Because we love it. And by golly we want to do it well.

So please stick around and share your thoughts. GZ has some great stuff going-on, especially with respect to Pikes. What a great time of year. Guys and gals are fit and throwing themselves into battle. Tim and I simply want to add to the delicious journey that is the trail. Stay-tuned.