Fort Ord Dirt

Finally had some time to put together a page. Fort Ord for me was Terra Icognita; never been, and now I know - it's a great place for mountain bikers. Well worth the extra miles driving out there (even at $4/ga). Tons of trails, and even some which have been cleared of unexploded ordnance. Enjoy the pix of this mountain biking adventure.

Sparse Start for '11

After a good January (well, except for the dog attack), February was a bust. A total - BUST! Got a bad chest bug which was going around town and my lungs were totally shot for the entire month. Boy, the bugs out there now aren't the old fashioned low-key cold bugs that go away after a few days - they're nasty and don't go down without a big long fight. I'm finally feeling better and starting to ramp up for upcoming triathlons. I'll post some pix of recent adventures soon. Meanwhile, I've got a page up for the Jan 1 Rio Resolution 10K Race. Running's going OK again. I'm getting some new tests done to make sure my hip is adapting to all the running with no problem. I have no symptoms to say otherwise. Tested my glutes today left and right side and they were as nearly equal now as I've yet seen post-surgery, so that's good news. I've computerized my training numbers and finally posted my 2010 totals at right.

Doggone it!

Well here's a first for me. I'm doing my Sunday long run at Nicene Marks, about a quarter mile up the West Ridge trail, puffing hard - and here are two dogs off the leash, (with owner and family) going for me in attack mode, snarling. I try and get off the trail hoping their momentum will carry them on by, but one makes a side lunge at me and grabs a big bite into my right side. Yelp! THAT hurt! Some choice curses came out and I scramble for a stick to defend myself before the owner calls off the dog, grabbing it. Man, that was TOTALLY uncalled for! Several laws broken to pieces, and I'm prosecuting. After I got her name and phone, I loped on up to the next stream crossing and washed it as well as I could. Miles from my car, it was a while before I could get home. Got some photos, including this one the next morning.

Racing Again

It seems this blog has become pretty single-mindedly focused on training and surgery recovery. I suppose that's OK. But it's not really sharing my philosophical side. I may have to make a second blog for that, or reorganize this one... but for now - it's been 2 months and I should note that I've run 2 half marathons and 2 10K races during this time - my running is continuing to improve. The Silicon Valley Half is chronical'd here, and the Marin North Face Challenge Half Marathon is here. The Turkey Trot 10K went badly on an easy course - hip pain with a vengence, but cleared up in 2 days thank God. The Rio Resolution 6.3 mile run went much better on a much tougher course - progress! I've also started Bikram yoga, which has been challenging.

Soy and Silicon

The past 3 months I've been absorbed with academic things. However, hip surgery readers will be curious how my training and rehab has gone. After a month of running every day, I had an overuse injury to my right calf - that's my GOOD side. Till now, all problems have been on my left (operated) side. Perhaps my single-minded focus on building strength and control in my left leg has left my right behind? Was very stubborn about healing, in fact, another solid month when I could barely run at all - very strange. I came to blame it on soy lowering testosterone and healing ability, after much reading. But yet more reading and I'm not so sure. I wish it were easier to see who's funding a given research project! I've stopped eating soy, for nearly a month now. My calf healed, and I'm back to regular running. I feel more energy and generally better. Have no idea if there's a connection with soy, at this point. Check back later on that as I continue reading.
In any case, did have a better-than-expected experience as buddy Ferrell recruited me to accompany him on a birthday adventure - running the Silicon Valley Half Marathon. See the story and pix here.

One Step Forward, Zero Steps Back

Beats 5 steps forward and 6 steps back, it is a mathematical certainty. 16 straight days I've run - usually just 2-4 miles, but once a week now up to 7. That's a long enough streak that I'm in commit mode - run every day unless it's dumb and injurious. If someone had told me that I'd be able to do that w/o re-injury a month ago, I'd have laughed at 'em. The muscles and body are a complex system and I'm glad I have a good coach (Tom Smith, DC and runner) on what muscles need work because despite my obvious brilliance, I sure was clueless on how to fix myself post-surgery. Doing everything wrong! Progress is definite.

So I decided yesterday to do my long-time favorite run; it was time to go run trails again - I ran the Hoffman Trail at Nicene Marks, which is 6.5 miles and 750 ft of total climbing from the trail branch-off at Aptos Creek Road where I lock my mtn bike (7 miles if from the "green gate"). I told myself to just run easy, as I'd done a 40 mile 3200' climb on the bike on Saturday (and 2 mile run). I took it easy, but still discovered at the end that I'd set a new post-surgery PR on that trail. I can make use of the endorphins too - I'm usually in mourning over the loss of my summer by mid August and don't perk up until a week or so into the Fall semester's teaching. Not this year.

Santa Cruz - An Optimum Place for this Dilemma

Philosophically - Does one find oneself doing one great ride over and over until sick of it and can't bring oneself to ride it again till all other options are spent? Right now I'm enjoying the Mountain Charlie/Summit/Zyante ride. Done it 3 Saturdays in a row now. It's so beautiful, and Hwy 9 below Felton still remains closed except for bikes. I used to ride up Hwy 1 to Davenport or on to the Swanton Loop. The traffic on Hwy 1 didn't bother me, till one day it did, and now the thought of doing that ride is just not enticing at all. I'd done Capitola/Eureka Canyon/Summit/Old San Jose Rd over 'n' over as well, and it's still a beautiful classic Northern California ride, but I'm bored with it. What'll I do when I get bored with Mtn. Charlie? I'm starting some GoogleEarth'ing to get ready.