Healing

(Photo: Bradley Mongold; from a Columbia Blacktail deer hunt in N. California)

Life is slowly returning to normal with the addition of a few easy runs this past week. The knee held up o.k., but my sissified body is revolting with unbelievable soreness. I can't believe how much fitness I lost in three weeks. I'm trying to be smart with the return to running, but the pull of Spring is strong.

The realization of the price paid by losing three weeks of training has made me rethink some upcoming runs/races. Old Dominion seems out of the question. I really wanted to run a spring 100M, but it seems illogical at this point. I'm thinking I'll simply ease back into things and run one of the best all around races of the East(maybe the country?), Highlands Sky, here in my backyard. Then what? Don't know, but I'll settle for running anything and anywhere at this point. Maybe I'll plan some solo multi-day stuff for the summer? Plans are a changin'.

I was certainly bummed missing out on Promise Land this past weekend. I love the race, but even more I love the fellowship and camaraderie with everyone there. The ultra community is full of some great folks. I'm sure everyone had a great time out there. I'll be back soon! Huge congrats to Lehmann running a PR in 6:14; good enough for 43rd overall. Very impressive. I think he might be on the juice.

Frustration

My ugly right knee

It has been over two weeks now since I've been able to run. I am very frustrated at this point. Frustrated for a stupid fall on the trail to get injured and frustrated that when I can't run, my life is so deeply and pervasively affected by my lack of running.

I've never had an acute injury cause so much trouble. There have been more falls and injuries caused by my clumsiness than I can count over the years, but I have been lucky that none of them have been this bad. I thought this one would be just the same as the others- maybe just a hair worse- but I'm left with deep lingering patellar tendinitis and crepitus in the area of the original contusion that doesn't seem to be wanting to release its grip anytime soon.

I had plans of running the Babcock Half Marathon this weekend. That is most certainly not happening and Promise Land next weekend is very unlikely at this point. I was really looking forward to PL and seeing all the folks there. We'll see what happens. If this does not get better soon then my whole spring plans may be in jeopardy. I am at the mercy of a small piece of fibrous tissue that connects my muscle to bone.

Injuries caused from stupidity in training volume or other reasons I can deal with, but this one has me more aggravated than ever. Watching hard earned fitness go down the tubes is always hard, but made even harder after suffering through a tough winter only to miss out on the most mild and beautiful spring that I can remember.

No more whining- not looking for sympathy-just needed to vent somewhere.

Injured Reserve

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."

-Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

I've had some tough luck as of late in the running department. I took a bad fall on the trails last Tuesday and banged up my right knee pretty bad. Much worse than I initially thought. I ran on it the next day trying to suck it up, but after eleven painful miles I succumbed to the realization which I should have mastered beforehand. I am hurt and my body needs time to rest. Admittedly it has been a frustrating week as I do not do well mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and the obvious, physically, when I am not running. At least I can admit that I suppose. Knowing full well that there are greater tragedies facing our modern world than my not running, I did the next best thing in effort of moving past my pitiful neuroticism; go fishing.

Here are some pictures from my revisiting of my first love from this past weekend:

(Beautiful section of the creek)

(Stalking the trout)

(A WV Native Brookie)

(A WV Native Weirdo)