Of Mice and Marathons

Another day off. Better, but not runable. Lots of ice, stretching, and compression. Starting to think that 3-4 days off will be fine if I can run by Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest.

Leg not much better. Friday I scheduled a massage for Tuesday. Tried to jump rope and do some very easy jogging in the driveway. No stability in mid stance. No knee drive forward. 

Had a massage. Felt good. Tightness in hips and plantar facia. Had Rachel work the hip area and stretch. Little limping on the way home. Jason was a smart guy and had two beers after (and several Skyping with a friend). Bad idea without flushing the toxins released from the massage. Pretty serious depression the last few days.

Rough day. Felt awful. Leg was okay. But my body just felt terrible. Sick without the sickness. 

Racing is clearly not in the plan. I'm still going to the race, since I've paid for a hotel and I should pick up my shirt. I'm glad so many bloggers will be there. It means a lot to me to watch them race. 

Made an appointment at the health clinic on campus. If the trainer tells me to stretch and ice, we are going to have problems. The last time they told me I didn't have an You too. Thanks. because I couldn't locate the exact moment of the injury. If that's how the profession understands injury it clearly needs some serious theoretical reconceptualization. 

Off. Leg is creaky when I get out of bed, but feels better once I get moving. Headed to Indianapolis to watch the race in the morning. I plan to do a completely unscientific study of running form at the finish line.

Should be interesting. I've only ever seen perhaps one finish of a sub-2:20 guy (Jesse Davis at Carmel last April; he's running tomorrow), but I have "run into" some 1:06 half marathoners coming the opposite way in a race. I may ask Paul if he wants me to sweep the 2+ hour halfers out the way coming down Merridian onto New York. 

Missed my first race ever due to injury, but....

Watched some great races and history. Hats off to them. Watched Jake outkick a few people through what now appears to me a very narrow last turn. The competition was crazy and there's not much money given how they sell the race (Jake and others in the 65 minute range: Carmel is 2-4x the cash). Watched Andrea run well in her continued comeback. She took second. Talked to them after. They are real, and not just digital images and personae. I still need a confirmation on the Bamster.

Watched Paul come through in 2:19 to beat 2:20 by ~15 seconds. "First American" as we say (I think). A in-the-last-two-years PR. 

The women's marathon was magical. I've never seen happiness like the 2nd place finisher. 

Hats of to Joe Bell who ran a 7+ minute PR in the marathon. He would have been sub-2:50 if he hadn't been carrying his leg with a locked up hamstring (for how long I don't know). I think he beat the wise-guy announcer with that leg after the race. 

It's a good race. We need a wider mouth for that last turn and a sexier finishing clock, but racing in Indy ain't too shabby.