If the miles behind me could be put into words before you, you would feel my efforts, my struggles, my desires. Most of all you would see my joy. Watch me from afar run the trails and hills and miles upon miles and you will see ...

Friday, December 31, 2010

Two New Records!!

That's right I've worked so hard lately that I've managed two more personal bests:

1. No running for the last 54 days - not sure what the previous record for me is but for sure it's less than 54 days.

2. The longest I've ever gone without posting an entry on this site - 36 days.

About the blogging: it's not like I haven't thought about writing things, and if the record was for not writing AND thinking about writing then the record would only be a day or two. It's been for a couple reasons: nothing to write about except being hurt or sick and people can only handle so much of that. Also while being hurt or sick I haven't had much motivation for writing. I think Denise McHale has the record for length of times between posts.
As for the lack of running, most would know I had shin issues before, during, and after Gibraltar. The 'after' issues lasted a lot longer than they ever had before. I didn't see a doctor or anything because I know from the past what needs to be done for this: rest. And rest it I have. It took about a month before I couldn't feel any discomfort, then I thought I'd give it another couple weeks to be sure. I think in the past I've rushed my recovery from the shin splints only to have them resurface a few months later. Of course I've still been riding my bike and swimming a fair bit. I was up to 2400m swimming up until three weeks ago when The Sickness came, then all forms of exercise halted.
I started getting this cough which steadily got worse and worse until it was accompanied by a fever and body aches. I hit it with every over the counter concoction I could find but nothing touched it. I was getting no sleep because I was hacking on and off throughout the night. Long part of the story short: I finally got some antibiotics because I have a respiratory infection. I'm on day 5 and feel better but still have a lingering cough. Tomorrow being the start of a new year I'm going out to do start the big comeback. I'm going to do it in my fivefingers shoes to kill two birds with one stone: start running slowly, and start running minimalist again, but slowly. This will be done on the soccer field as well to provide even more protection.
My sister gave me a little program from when she had a stress fracture a while ago and it basically entails running for a minute, walking a minute, a few times a week for a week or two. Then it moves up to the unimaginable two minutes of running x4 for a couple more weeks. You get the idea. Slow is the way to go.
Scott Corsie from Penticton is responsible for me signing up for a couple more races. In his quest to finish the Canadian Death Race he wants to do some races beforehand so we're going to sign up for Dirty Duo and Diez Vista. Not that I'll be in shape for either one doing mostly road work in prep for Comrades but it'll be fun nonetheless.