Another Sunday in Rock Creek

The whole town has given up on the 'Skins. Rather than go to the game or slouch on the couch watching, everybody was out enjoying the weather (high 60's) and the car-free sections of road running through Rock Creek Park. Bikers, runners, bladers, dog walkers, stroller pushers, horse riders from the nearby stables.

It was difficult to get shots without people in the frame.
The first few shots are heading South, following the creek.

The Crescent Trail, above.

Experimented with use of the 10sec timer function. Shooting across the road. More bike traffic than cars. Perfect timing by one rider to get in the pic but not block me. Note my mildly nonplussed look. I saw him come around the bend, expected he'd probably screw up my efforts. He was going just fast enough not to do so.

Keen eyes may observe that the jersey and shorts are looking a tad stressed around the waist. Sure feel tighter than they did 8 weeks ago. Hope I don't have my Spandex privileges revoked. Well, it's all part of a plan.

Maybe you've heard the phrase train heavy, race light. Usually that means riding with the heaviest wheels you own, carrying lots of water bottles, redundant fix kits, etc. as a way to enhance the training effect. My dedication runs deeper than that.

Sure, I could just put rocks in my jersey pockets. Weak. I take it hardcore, challenging my limits logging hours a day, every day, strapped into a cookie-filled feedbag, eating more after 10pm than most people do all day. You can't fake the funk people. If you don't work yourself into a carbo-coma you're just not bringing it.

I'm already seeing tangible results. This morning, for the first time in recent memory, I spied belly button lint. It was tumbleweed size, hard to miss.
Yikes.

Duration: 2:21:50 (2:41:54)

Work: 1512 kJ

TSS: 183.4 (intensity factor 0.884)

Norm Power: 203

VI: 1.14

Pw:HR: 1.72%

Pa:HR: 3.93%

Distance: 42.355 mi

Min Max Avg

Power: 0 456 179 watts

Heart Rate: 84 169 142 bpm

Cadence: 22 102 72 rpm

Speed: 2.2 31.9 18.0 mph

Caged Runner.

Rock Creek, U.S. Park Stables
2-4-08

Update for the record.

Haven't run since Jan. 6 when the right knee went wacky. Tried once last week, after quite a few days of it feeling fine walking around and biking. Had to abort after .5 mile.

Went to Sport & Spinal for an exam. Very unlikely that there is a discrete/acute injury or problem with the knee or surrounding tendons and ligaments. My upper thigh and glutes are tight and my range of movement for the upper leg is significantly limited. Knee moves (dives? falls? collapses?) to the inside when I perform a standing one-leg squat. My feet are still flat.

All together, text book IT Band syndrome characteristics. As are the symptoms of Jan. 6 and the days thereafter. I know, however, that ITBS is a large catchall bag for many causes and symptoms. Identifying the true cause is difficult, e.g., is a tight muscle pulling the pelvis out of alignment? Or vice versa? It's a chain with many links. Finding the twisted link is the challenge.

Continuing some deep massage work, with the range of motion problem areas providing some guidance. Last visit to the therapist uncovered some real trouble spots, upper hammies and glutes. Me face down on the table, Lara perched on top grinding and driving her knees into my derierre. This may have been the most painful session ever for me. I'm officially a tight ass. I was a sore, but not quite as tight, ass for another 24-48hrs after. After that I was, of course, just my usual ass.

All of this is good news. It may amount to discovery of the underlying cause - the hard part. I'll proceed as if it is for now, focusing on the problem areas for 30-45mins a night on my own.

Tools for nightly muscle manipulation.

Continue to swim, seeing some small improvement. Biking as well. Bike legs are weak but not totally gone. Almost all trainer (hampster wheel) sessions, 60-90mins, long warm ups into some steady efforts then long warm down. All of it sitting up, no time down in the aero bars - no need to put added pull on the IT/glutes.

Got outside for a ride yesterday. 2.5hrs in near 60F mostly sunny no wind. Rock Creek Park. Lots of folks out on Beach Dr. Stopped to see some sights and stretch. Nice to be outdoors.