UCLA Sierra Clubbers - Paddling Tomales Bay

Got a new adventure posted. More 'yaking, at Pt. Reyes - my annual get together with my Sierra Club clan from UCLA days. Enjoy it here. I'm looking at my training totals for '11 and looking to up my numbers. It's too late to try and beat my Ironman Year of '10 in cycling, but I've already had a better running year. The tie-break is swimming yardage. I was quite behind, but it was do-ably within reach, so I made the commit - All I need is 4,000 yds in the pool each day this week. Monday's and Tuesday's are in the bag. Today will meet with Ferrell for more, and as long as my right shoulder stays focused on proper injury-free form, I should succeed.

Four Bridges Half Marathon

My running continues to improve - slowly. Boy, there's a lot of muscle groups and muscle skills requiring conscious attention to fix. My running form in the old days wasn't perfect, but I had healthy joints and that was enough. Now, with a metal hip and 10 years of disuse to overcome, it's been quite the adventure to learn how to run, really for the first time.
Focus on Glutes! Dave D sent me an excellent article "Weak Glutes: The Plague of the Mediocre Athlete". Wow, sounds like someone I know. But I've been putting my mind to it with typical Nolthenius determination - and it's making a difference. Focusing on firing the glutes on each stride, just that.... visualizing the contraction, not actually MAKING it contract, has been enough to make for a good burn, when for so long I run and everything BUT my BUTT gets burned. My stride has lengthened about 8%, without feeling like it has, and my speed has improved as well. I'm hopeful that my future long runs will not leave me so crippled for a week or two like in the past.
A good experience was my run at the Four Bridges Half Marathon in Folsom, with bud's Dave and Rick. Check out the pix and the entertaining story.