For Whom the Dogs Bark

June 29, 2024

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Location:

Cypress,TX,

Member Since:

Oct 10, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K: 24:22 (March 2010); 22:33 (October 2010); 20:47 (May 2011); 21:05 (May 2012); 21:33 (September 2012); 21:23 (November, 2013); 22:31 (September 2014)

5M: 39:22 (November, 2012); 35:54 (November, 2013); 36:03 (March, 2015)

10K: 44:08 (November, 2010); 49:20 (July, 2013); 44:07 (April, 2015)

12K: 56:03 (December, 2013); 58:58 (December, 2014)

10M: 1:11:58 (October, 2012); 1:15:24 (October, 2014)

Half Marathon: 1:53:xx (London's Run 2010); 2:05:21 (Cowtown 2010); 1:37:04 (Gusher 2011); 1:42:19 (Huntsville 2011); 1:33:47 (Baytown Jailbreak 2012); 1:33:50 (The Woodlands 2012); 1:42:52 (Texas 2015); 1:49:17 (Jailbreak 2015); 1:38:34 (The Woodlands 2015)

25K: 2:01:47 (Fifth Third River Bank, May 2014)

Marathon: 5:51:35 (Texas Marathon 2009); 6:21:36 (Ogden 2009); 4:58:29 (St. George 2009); 4:13:45 (Texas Marathon 2010); 4:04:12 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2010); 5:11:14 (Hartford ING, 2010); 3:41:43 (Richmond SunTrust, 2010); 3:39:27 (Texas Marathon 2011); 3:41:46 (Utah Valley Marathon, 2011); 3:30:35 (St. George 2011); 3:41:51 (Richmond 2012); 3:49:15 (Texas 2013); 3:46:59 (Paavo Nurmi, 2013); 3:34:04 (St. George 2013); 3:49:51 (Texas 2014); 3:31:59 (Richmond 2014); 3:28:34 (Boston 2015)

Short-Term Running Goals:

3:20, 1:30, 0:20

Long-Term Running Goals:

I'm 60, there is no long term.

Personal:

I live, work and run in Houston, Texas. I have run 17 marathons, some good ones and some others. I prefer straight, flat, cold, sea-level marathons, still waiting for my first one. I feel like there are more PRs out there. When I have them, I am told it is time to dial it back, run for healthy reasons. I'm sure that's right, and I'm sure it won't happen.

My wife and I are from the mountains of the west. We have five kids, three granddaughters and three grandsons. The kids and grandkids are native Texans but we are not -- you have to be born here.

As for my blog title: I run most of my miles before sunrise, sometimes hours before. On the back road of my neighborhood two hours before daylight, I can depend on a pack of mutts behind the boundary fence lighting up when they hear my footsteps. I have wondered what they wanted; but according to Hemingway I needn't ask.

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00

Thu, May 31, 2012

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00

I am feeling a lot better, probably because I don't run anymore. My plan is to do spin bike every morning for an hour, weights three times a week, and tons of stretching. So far this week I have spun four times and weights twice. Got 18.5 miles this morning, spinning for an hour on settings 10 and 15, my best so far (believe me, I would have preferred about 7 or 8 1K repeats). I actually got my heart rate up to high 160s. When I finished there was a large puddle of sweat under my bike. I was impressed, but I don't think that opinion was shared by the bikers around me. Just trying not to lose too much fitness, folks.

So the gym I go to is called Planet Fitness. It stresses low prices and a judgment-free environment. As a result it is friendly and low-key. My son used to go there every day for about a year, and got some pretty large muscles. But for his birthday last week he upgraded to LA Fitness. (I don't know how widespread these gyms are, they are both pretty prevalent in the Houston area.) So I have been going there with him to do weights, but I think I prefer the cheap place. LA Fitness has more machines, but it seems to be full of posers, really large guys covered with tattoos and a bunch of high school wannabes whose daddies bought their memberships. (Looking at it honestly, I admit that my son fits in well there.)

I am trying to ice twice a day but it usually ends up being only once. For the first time in decades I can touch the floor in front of my toes with knees locked. It is ironic that I am gaining hamstring flexibility because of what I thought was a back injury. I think the injury is in the piroformis. When I sit with my ankle over the opposite knee, I can do fine with my left leg but my right leg doesn't bend much.

My chiro consults with one of the national track organizations and I like him a lot. I think he may even be somebody who can help me long term.

Comments

From Claudio on Thu, May 31, 2012 at 11:44:57 from 216.99.185.50

Sounds like a good recovery plan! very impressed with your gained flexibility - I was never able to touch the floor on locked knees, not even close and not even growing up as far as I remember... I can only reach halfway between knees and toes, but i keep trying :) You know your injury sounds similar to something I had (and that keeps showing up sometimes) in the psoas and piriformis... A stretch that my PT showed me and that worked great was this: (my left side was where the pain was)lay down, bend the left knee and bring the left foot across the right knee. Grab the left knee with the right hand and pull it toward you and out. You should feel the piriformis stretch. Do it everyday, 3-5x for 20 seconds each time. Do also the opposite side. Get well!

From Dan on Thu, May 31, 2012 at 21:02:41 from 24.209.83.20

I too like the plan. I too have gained flexibility (not enough, but some) back- and its been key so far for me in the healing. So keep at it! We have both Planet Fitness and LA Fitness here in Ohio. Your description is accurate.

From SlowJoe on Fri, Jun 01, 2012 at 07:36:51 from 155.219.241.10

I definitely can't touch the floor, that is some good flexibility. Hope you are able to run soon, sounds like you are getting there.

From I Just Run on Fri, Jun 01, 2012 at 08:30:47 from 67.79.11.242

First, Can you change that first comment "I don't run any more" to "I'm not running right now"?

I immediatly had to stand up and see if I could touch the floor with locked knees, I won't tell you the results.

I can really relate to the spinning thing. I think the people at my gym hate me. I pay a day fee of $2 and it's worth every last penny :)

Keep up the good work and you'll be back on the pavement in no time!

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