Back in the Saddle Again

I finally made it back out on the road after an month and almost a half. My left calf was very tender and the pain affected my walking gait for most of a week after the injury back at the end of October. My web research and conversations with physicians suggested rest was necessary. Then I was busy, and now the busiest part of the year is over. So this evening I finally got out on the road for a fairly short run. I went down to Chewacla entrance and back, then at the top of the hill I went down Old Wright's Mill Rd, to add on a little bit.

Playlist

Back in the Saddle	Aerosmith
Fish Paste	Die Antwoord
Dr. Lee, PhD	Beastie Boys and Lee Scratch Perry
Memphis	Chuck Berry
Moonlight On Vermont	Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band
Stay Close to Me	Bad Brains
(I Was Born In A) Laundromat	Camper Van Beethoven
Guns of Brixton	the Clash
Back in Black	AC/DC

Times

L1	8:23
L2	7:18
L3	7:31
L4	10:03
L5	0:47
Total	34:02

Distance 3.8 miles
Cumulative 3.8 miles

Injury time out!

I set out to complete my monthly quota today, a nice clear, crisp autumn day. I decided to hit the University/Donahue/Magnolia/Gay route, and had gotten past Woodfield on Gay Street when my calf, which had been tender, went pop. I had to start walking there, and hobbled back home. Sadly, assuming I can't get out before the end of tomorrow, this means I'll be a fraction short of my monthly goal, though I did get one of three half-marathons out of the way, and registered for a second one in January. I think it happened at Gay/Samford. I crossed the street and stumbled on the curb at the gas station there. I managed to right myself, but I definitely got contorted, and nearly bit the concrete.

Playlist -lots of reggae

Three Little Birds	Bob Marley
Dead Flowers	Rolling Stones
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)	the Proclaimers
Spoonman	Soundgarden
Can't You Hear Me Knocking	Rolling Stones
Peace Treaty	Peter Tosh
Genius of Love	Tom Tom Club
Walk On The Wild Side	Lou Reed
Turn It On	Flaming Lips
Chant A Psalm	Steel Pulse
Up On The Sun	Meat Puppets
Mama Africa	Peter Tosh
Electric Avenue	Eddy Grant
Rastafari Is	Peter Tosh

Times:
L1 13:42
L2 17:12
L3 4:31
L4 5:23
L5 5:31
L6 3:17
(Walked home, 23:10)

Distance (ran, walked the last mile and a half) 5.3 miles
Cumulative distance 38.2 miles.

So old it's new

I ran a new route tonight, at least it seemed new since it's been a while since I did it if I ever did. I ran up to Woodfield stop sign and back down to Town Creek Cemetery and out Town Creek Park back to Gay Street and home. I wore the Five Fingers again, and my calves were tender on the way out until they loosened up. Right now, my right foot feels a sharp pain toward the heel, hopefully it'd resolve itself sooner rather than later. Three more good runs should get me to my goal, though it will have to be in California because that's where I'm headed tomorrow.

Playlist
(listened to Red Sox-Mariners game)

Times
L1 12:36
L2 1:53 (ss to cemetery entrance)
L3 6:42 (Town Creek)
L4 7:22
L5 0:53
Total 29:24

Distance
3.2 miles
Cumulative 26.3 miles. Over a marathon done.

Back out there

I've taken a week off, partly because my legs have been a little sore after the 7 miler, and partly because I've been traveling (down to Tampa to visit a good friend of mine and to see the Red Sox play). This evening, since there was no 5k, I went on a slightly longer route. My friend invited our family over for dinner and a swim, so while they drove, I ran. I ran up into Grove Hill, to the far pool over near Moore's Mill Rd, and back via Windway to Ogletree and down into Springwood, about 5.2 miles. It was a bit nicer weather after the downpour we received today. My calves are definitely barkin' now, though. Over halfway to my monthly goal, but not that much month left.

Playlist (mostly 80's stuff I recently added to the Tune-O-Matic)
Sledgehammer -Peter Gabriel
Moral Kiosk -REM
Rapture -Blondie
Up On The Sun -Meat Puppets
Dizzy -Throwing Muses
(I Was Born In A) Laundromat -Camper Van Beethoven
I Lost It -Lucinda Williams
Radio Free Europe -REM
Adult Books -X
Blitzkrieg Bop -Ramones
Car Jamming -the Clash
Coming In Hot -Peter Tosh
Devil's Roof -Throwing Muses

Times
L1 25:15 (home to turnaround)
L2 23:59 (turnaround to Springwood stop)
Total 49:14

Distance 5.2 miles
Cumulative 23.1 miles

I hate to have to walk, but I guess not as much as I hate to hurt myself for foolish gains. Today I ran the GWCToomers route, backwards, and was experiencing some left knee pain as I came down the hill from the Art Museum. I walked the 0.1 mile to the stop sign and started up again, only to walk up from Town Creek to the next street (about 0.2 miles). The ending felt okay, but I'll have to see how it goes. I'm awfully close to my goal for the month, with about a week to spare, so I don't need to do anything stupid. It's only getting hotter though, and once my kids get out of school (tomorrow) I'll have to adjust my running schedule.

Playlist
Slavedriver -Jenny and Johnny
Turn It On -Flaming Lips
Use Somebody -Kings of Leon
Rock Problems -the Hold Steady
We're Here -Meat Puppets
The Man Who Sold The World -David Bowie
Notion -Kings of Leon
White Girl -X
Jane Says -Jane's Addiction
Mexican Radio -Wall of Voodoo
What New York Used to Be -the Kills
Profanity Prayers -Beck
Rock & Roll -Lou Reed
Where It's At -Beck
Paranoid -Black Sabbath
Superunknown -Soundgarden

Times
L1 13:12
L2 6:37
L3 6:17
L4 5:23
L5 6:59
L6 4:37
L7 13:39
L8 0:52
Total 57:36

Distance 5.6 (-0.3 walking) = 5.3 miles
Cumulative distance 37.9 miles

Another month off

Slacking again. It's now Spring, and the yellow rain of pollen has descended. Last week was Spring Break, and in spite of not much to do, I didn't go running. Finally, my idle blog is shaming me back out on the roads. I went up to Woodfield/Gay and back. My hips and knees have been hurting, and I've been using that as an excuse.

Playlist
Dreadlock Holiday -10cc (inspired by the ICC World Cup)
Windy and Warm -Richard Kiser
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed -David Bowie
Can't Get There From Here -R.E.M.
Electric Avenue -Eddy Grant
New Gods -Meat Puppets
Lowazo -Kanda Bongo Man

Times
L1 13:09
L2 11:43
L3 1:00
Total 25:52

Distance 2.8 miles
Cumulative distance: same

More rest, then a hot one

After Monday, I thought I needed a little time off. So I took Tuesday off, then Wednesday I didn't want to risk hurting anything before yesterday's field trip. So there went the whole week. Today I went up Gay to College via Woodfield, to Toomer's, then over to Ross via Magnolia. Instead of cruising down Chewacla, I went up Thach to Gay and all the way home via Gay. My calf is still a little tender. I tried not to go too hard, starting out slow, and taking it easy for the most part.

Playlist
Say It Ain't So -Weezer
What Is and What Should Never Be -Led Zeppelin
Manic Depression -Jimi Hendrix
Good Old Funky Music -the Meters
Ocean Breathes Salty -Modest Mouse
Lucifer Sam -Pink Floyd
Once In A Lifetime -Talking Heads
Pollo Asado -Ween (also what I had for dinner last night)
White Girl -X
Jigsaw Puzzle -the Rolling Stones
Oye Como Va -Santana
The Sky Is Fallin' -Queens of the Stone Age
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend -the Ramones
Rhinoceros -Smashing Pumpkins

Times
L1 12:37
L2 3:22
L3 11:02 (Museum to Toomer's)
L4 11:27 (Magnolia to Gay)
L5 6:05
L6 11:23
L7 1:03
Total 56:59

Distance 6.2 miles

More rest, little bit longer, new music

Took the weekend off again. Slowly but surely things are improving. Half my friends are encouraging me to get back out there, and the other half are calling me an idiot for running in the first place and inviting injury.

I'm definitely not going hard, but I did feel good enough to go a bit further today, up Gay Woodfield Museum College Samford Gay Home. So far, so good. Definitely starting to warm up quite a bit out there. It was 70 F when I left. I uploaded some new tunes to my tune-o-matic, so I listened to those.

Playlist
Cooperation -Franco & Sam Mangwana
Prodigal Son -Rolling Stones
Lucifer Sam -Pink Floyd
Been Caught Stealing -Jane's Addiction
Rhinoceros -Smashing Pumpkins
Bruca Managua -Ibrahim Ferrer
The Gnome -Pink Floyd
No Expectations -Rolling Stones
Interstellar Overdrive -Pink Floyd

Times
L1 12:35
L2 3:24
L3 7:28
L4 5:42
L5 12:03
Total 41:12
Distance 4.54 miles