Cursed Realm of the Faceless Ghost

Today is a holiday, which means I meant to get an early start but instead wasn't out the door until sometime after nine. It's so hard to get out of bed when you don't have to.

I ran an out-and-back from our house up Grove Creek. It turns out the trailhead is a little more than 5 miles from our house, not 4, as I had thought. Anyway, there was much less snow on the trail than last time, which I expected, but there was also even less traction, which I did not expect. Basically, it was too warm, and the consistency of the snow was such that I felt like I was running in a Slurpee. I quit after half a mile, reconsidered, pressed on, and quit again after another half mile. It was just too much work and too frustrating to be worth it, and my head wasn't in the game. Even without the climb, it was a great start to the week.

1:45:13

So, my knee is definitely acting up again. I'm not quite ready to say I'm injured, but I'm definitely walking the line. Stupid IT band. And, for the record, I'm not stretching it, strengthening it, or using the roller on it. So really, stupid me.

Anyways, I was going to skip running today and cross train, but when it came down to it I didn't want to, so I ran. I'm sure some of you read that article a while back (on irunfar?) about creating narratives about injuries, and I'm definitely good at that. I think my problems have something to do with running too much vertical. So I'm going to try to run more flats, and limit myself to a couple of climbing days per week between now and the Buffalo Run. If I do that, maybe my knee will get strong enough to handle more vertical between the Buffalo Run and Squaw Peak.

As for today's workout, one hour on a treadmill. Fifteen minutes flat, fifteen minutes walking on the 15 percent grade (I said I think running too much vertical is the problem), fifteen minutes flat, and fifteen more minutes walking on the incline. According to my imprecise measurements, my heart rate was in the low 130s during the walking parts. And if I'm not mistaken (unlikely), I think I got somewhere in the neighborhood of 1400 feet of vertical.

If you asked me what my least favorite body part is right now, I'd tell you it's my knee. Or maybe my IT band. Whatever. Tomorrow I'll wander into meathead territory, short shorts and all, to do my little lateral strengthening exercises. It really annoys me not to run as much as I'd like to.

Speaking of meathead territory, I've decided to get back to strength training this year. I used to lift five days a week, but when I started cycling seriously I thought I should lose every pound I could, and I've been skinny ever since. (Who am I kidding. Other than a brief flirtation with 180 lbs, I never really managed to break past 175. Which is not much when you're 6'5". In the bodybuilding world, I think I'd be the equivalent of the guy who runs 100 miles per week for 5 years and still can't run a sub-20 5K.) But I'm not racing for anything other than my own satisfaction these days, so I may as well have a little muscle, right? I've taken a before picture, and maybe I'll post it when I have an after picture to go with it. I'm only going to lift twice a week, but I figure I should be able to resemble the Incredible Hulk in a month or two. Green skin, purple shorts and all.

Today I spent 40 minutes hiking on the treadmill at a 15 percent grade, followed by 20 minutes on an elliptical. Followed by about 10 minutes on a rowing machine, because I just found out the gym has one and I couldn't resist the novelty.

AM: I'm going to be better about taking care of my IT band, and I started this morning by doing my strengthening exercises. After that, I went for a quick run on the treadmill. Four miles in 27:30. Two miles at 6:20, and half a mile at 5:30, with the rest at a fairly relaxed pace. My knee felt fine during the run, but a couple of hours later it's feeling about the same as it did yesterday. I'll be cross training tonight.

The Cardio Cinema movie of the day is Harry and the Hendersons. Whoever picks the movies at the AF Gold's Gym needs to be fired. Out of a cannon. Absolutely no idea as to what makes a good treadmill movie.

PM: More stair stepping, followed by the strengthening thingies. On the stair stepper, I went for an hour on some random intensity program. A little more than 400 floors.

Yesterday we all got an email announcing that grades would be released today, and I had a hard time not worrying about it between then and 4:20 today, when I actually got my grades. I did well enough.

As for my workout--Catherine and I got a late start, but we made it to the gym this evening. I pumped my guns for 30 minutes or so, then I spent another 30 minutes on the stair stepper doing intervals, alternating between two minutes easy (170 watts) and two minutes hard (390 watts).

I had an intramural basketball game this morning. For civility's sake, I won't say much. But one could argue that some of those student employees are unreasonable in their enforcement of the honor code. Next time I'll draw a chalk circle around her.

Despite playing half the game short one man, we tied. Definite improvement.

By the time I got to work out tonight, we were running short on time. Which is fine, since my knee isn't getting any better (on the other hand, it hasn't gotten any worse). Ninety minutes on the stair stepper doing three minutes easy, three minutes hard. If the computer is to be believed, I climbed about 570 floors. While watching The Matrix. That's a good treadmill movie. And it's funny to watch on TV--it's been a while, but I'm pretty sure the characters in the original didn't say things like "oh, shucks" and "jeepers creepers!"

Who rocks? I rock.