El Burro Blanco

Not exactly the way I wanted to start the new year.  Katey and I drove home from Logan today.  I stretched, did some core exercises, and then sat in my parent's hot tub.

Lots of errands around town today.  I went to a chiropractor today and I'm not sure if it helped much.  I go and see April tomorrow for a massage and then have an appointment with the physical therapist on Monday.  I am going crazy not being able to run without any significant pain.  I need to be patient I guess.  I guess my body could use the rest.

.5 mile with the dog and then tacked on another 2 miles around Ivins.  Adductor was still really tight. 

I went and saw April today and she dug into my adductor muscle for close to an hour.  She thinks I should get better soon and back to running.  Suprisingly I feel much better than I have in a while.  She told me my adductor muscle was really tight and all cramped up because it was compensating for my hamstring pull from last year.  She checked my hamstring out and it felt really good.  She said the adductor was going to get tight just because my body is trying to realign itself.  I hope it gets better so I get out for just a nice easy run with no pain.

I went to a physical therapist in town today and I hope he can get my hamstring/adductor taken care of.  He noticed that everything was a little tight but no major tears or anything which was positive news.  He gave me some suggestions on weightlifting I should do for the next little while.  He also wants me to get Coreshorts Lite (compression shorts) just to walk around in and then possibly to run in for short runs. 

He was really encouraging and I hope to get this thing taken care of.  I should have seen a physical therapist a while back but I was too stubborn.  This is all foreign territory to me not being able to run without pain and trying to heal my leg.  I guess I am supposed to learn something from this so I will be patient.  I am just hoping to be going for a nice run here sometime soon with no pain whatsoever.

Rode the bike, did the elliptical, and lifted weights at the high school.  I did some stretching afterwards and core exercises.

Rode the bike, did the elliptical, and lifted weights at the high school.  I did some stretching afterwards and core exercises.

Rode the bike, did the elliptical, and lifted weights at the high school.  I did some stretching afterwards and core exercises.

Rode the bike, did the elliptical, and lifted weights at the high school.  I did some stretching afterwards and core exercises.

I rode my bike from Ivins over to the Dixie Center.  Met up with the guys while they ran.  Clyde and I rode our bikes and just cold progressively colder and colder.  It was fun being around everyone again but not very fun getting cold.  I hit close to 20 miles for the total bike ride. 

I see the physical therapist on Monday and I hope I can get running again soon.  The hamstring and adductor have felt good the last couple days.  I know lifting weights has helped.  I will incorporate that more within my training once I get going again.

I went to the physical therapist again and it went well.  He checked me out and then had me lift some weights and do some agility exercises.  I felt okay and he told me I have the green light to try and jog a little bit.  I get my compression shorts tomorrow so it should help out.  The PT swears by them so I hope they work.

I got home and ran to the stop sign and back.  Leg felt okay.  Hamstring was fine but the adductor was pretty tight.

I got home and found that the compression shorts had come in the mail.  They are called Coreshorts Lite.  I tried them on and they are really tight on my legs.  They felt good and so I went for a nice 3 mile run around Ivins.  It kept all the muscles in place and made my leg feel pretty good.  I did some stretches afterwards and hopefully I can get back into the swing of things.

Same run as yesterday.  I felt a touch better.  I don't want to jinx myself anymore by saying my leg is getting better.  The leg will get better when it is supposed.  I do hope it is soon though.

To much going on today so I wasn't able to get a run in.  I stretched and did some core exercises though.  Still being cautious with the leg.

Slowly easing back into it.  Probably need to stretch the adductor a little more.

Another nice and easy 3 miles this morning before heading over to the Painter's Half-marathon.  Clyde and I were the lead "vehicles" or bikes for the race.  It was fun seeing the race play out.  I biked from Ivins, did the course, and then biked back home.  It was close to 30 miles on the bike today.  I would much rather be running but oh well.  I will bump up the daily mileage a little bit next week.

I felt really good on my run today of 6 miles.  I went out along the parkway and then came back home.  My adductor felt good and didn't bother me.  It is a touch tight still but I will continue to stretch and ice it.  Hopefully things are turning around for the better.  Stretching and core exercises afterwards.

I then did yard work for the rest of the day.  Digging up old sprinkler systems and trying to put new ones in are not that fun.  Yikes.

6 miles around Webb Hill on the DC trail and then back to the school with some of the track kids.  Small surges thrown in.  Nothing to exciting.  Leg felt better.  It seems to slowly but surely feel a little better each day.

Stretching and core exercises later in the evening.

8 miles around the high school today.  I ran a couple miles with some kids from track and then went exploring out along the Arizona Strip.  Legs felt good today.  Adductor was better as well. 

I stretched, biked a mile, lifted some weights, and then did some core exercises afterwards.  Perfect running weather today.  I am happy to just be getting outside and running easy with not as much pain.  Fingers and toes are crossed for good luck and continued improvement!

8 miles on the club run this evening.  It felt good to get out with the guys again.  We went up into Middleton on the trails and then back around to the store.  Light drizzle and perfect temperatures made it a nice day for a run.  Adductor felt good but the hamstring was a little tight.  Need to continue with the stretching.

Ran from the high school out towards Washington Fields.  Light drizzle made the run enjoyable.  Lots of stretching afterwards.

Woke up a touch late so I wasn't able to start with the guys.  I ran into them on the trail though and finished the last couple miles with them.  Legs felt fairly sore afterwards which is normal since I am slowly revampling the running.

Happy with the week.  The adductor is finally loosening up the hamstring isn't as bad.  I will have another easy week for next week and then get going. 

6 miles in the morning.

It has been a while since I've run in the morning.  I felt pretty good.  The fresh rain made everything smell good.  I will keep everything nice and easy this week and hopefully be ready to really get going next week.

5k on the treadmill and then weights and stretching after.  I wanted to keep it light today.

Ran from the high school out into Washington Fields.  It was pretty chilly.  Hamstring was fairly tight this evening.

Fun run with the club tonight.  Adductor was pretty tight.  It felt okay after I stretched though.

To much going on today.  Stretching and light core exercises.

Had church stuff going on for most of the day.  Thought I would give the legs a slight rest (I have been resting for a couple months due to the injury!) to really start fresh back in February.

We met at Steve's house tonight and talked about Squaw Peak.  I think I am going to really get into this.  I like the idea of doing high mileage on the trails but at a much slower pace.  I know it will take less of a toll on my body.  The injury has thrown my normal daily routine off for the last couple months so hopefully I can get back on track while focusing on this ultra.

I plan on using all of this as solid base mileage to hopefully lead towards a decent fall marathon.