Training Log Archive: Charlie

At JFK, waiting for our flight to Istanbul, change there for Tirana. A little anxious when traffic stopped for half an hour, but it cleared and we got to the airport right on time. Turkish Air looks pretty good so far. Check in painless. They let you check 2 bags for no extra charge. Nice.

Reflected some more about yesterday. Not surprising that nothing matched up, since I was off the map. My back was taking enough of my attention that I couldn't seem to concentrate on the map.

C • Turkey? 2

C • Albania 1

C • Syria 2

Event: The 35th annual Billygoat Run
 

Hot tub and foam roller are beginning to make a bit of an impression on this latest back spasm episode. Main focus is on the left glute, which seems to control the whole system, although the pain is most concentrated along the left side of the lower thoracic spine.

Off to the 'goat this morning, where my aspirations are focused on the shirt line, far from the halcyon days of lifetime points, last achieved in '95. I expect to walk most if not all, and will remember that even when my body may feel like I am running, it is not obvious to the casual observer anyway.

Last month when I attended Becks's training camp at Osbornedale, I was out on one of the courses, merrily jogging along and marveling at my resurgence, when I ran into Alex at a control. She was waiting for a Breton girl, perhaps Elina, on a partners exercise. Very kindly she asked if I was walking because I was injured. Well, yes I am injured, but I kept to myself the perception that I had been running.

C • running vs walking 2

Attempt at the Billygoat, but this didn't work well at all. In the early going I was walking behind a sea of WCOC jerseys, not quite keeping up, but not falling back either. George, Earl, Nellie, Jim, Rich N, perhaps others. Also a bit of company from Jeff Schapiro, Craig Weber, Paul Regan at times. Pretty soon my back was a lot more uncomfortable than I had planned. I also had an idea that the hill that #1 was behind was very big, but in retrospect it was obviously not all that big. I got off course to the N in a group with Earl, Craig, Paul R, some others, and started exploring the big hillside off the map. Some really interesting terrain, but it was dangerous getting there and worse getting down. My mind was not working well enough to figure out where the heck I was, and eventually it seemed like the best thing was to reverse course and head back in, which I did. At home QR confirmed what I had done, which helped to explain why I couldn't get anything to match up! Not my best work, but perhaps a bit of a mercy. As sore as I am after an hour and 25 minutes, 3 hours or so would probably not have been good for me.

dog walk with R&S. Back still in pretty severe distress, and in a different way from other times I have hurt it. This is it for today, other than packing bikes. Still planning on trying to walk the goat tomorrow.

Pleasant hour and a half stroll around Stratton Brook with BillD, checking control sites for next month's meet.

Then back home for more packing. About 98% packed as of dinner time.

This is all for me today. Back spasm is only a tiny bit better. Hot tub helps. Virtually no chance I will be in good enough condition to attempt the Speedy Goat. Still planning on the BG, but I expect to be walking. Then to get calmed down enough to ride bikes starting Wednesday. Should be ok, although a bit anxiety provoking at present.

C • Good luck with your back 3

Our new bikes on the independent fabrications blog.

C • very nice indeed... 8

Dog loop with R & S. back spasm quite a bit worse today. Hoping Heather can fix it this afternoon.

Visit with the spine doc to go over the MRI of my neck. Some narrowing of where the nerves come out, but no neurological symptoms. The spinal cord itself is not being squeezed. So nothing to worry about for now.

Easy ride around the river with Erik & Rhonda. Lovely day. Nursing a bit of a back spasm.

C • picture 1

dog walk, with R&S

R & I took Erik to Crossfit this morning. He was pretty good at it. Wod today was goblet squats and burpees (for Rhonda and Erik) and goblet squats and KB swings (for me) 10 rounds of 15 each with a 200M run at the end of each round.

My back is in a fair amount of distress after. As is often the case with these WODs with multiple rounds of running, R & I do better as the WOD goes on. By the last 200 M run, we were among the few still moving.