Training Log Archive: BorisGr

Event: QOC Patapsco Granite
 

Alli and I went to Columbus for the weekend to help take care of my dad after his back surgery. (Like father, like son.)

We went to the gym at their local health club and hung out on the elliptical machines while my mom walked laps around the indoor track.

C • Healing thoughts 1

Second cortisone injection today. Two shots, one in the L4-5 disk, the other in the L5-S1. I am not very optimistic about it, but at least the process itself was way less painful than the previous injection in February, aside from the unnecessary 1.5 hours of waiting and 8 hours of not eating beforehand.

Event: West Point National Meet
 

Sometimes you make a decision, and people think you are crazy and tell you not to do it and they have your best interests in mind, and of course you are right. But you still do it, and you know you made the right decision.

This was the case with the West Point middle distance race. I hadn't taken a running step in ages, I was out of shape and in pain, and the last time I even walked around an O course back in QOC land, my back pain got significantly worse in the following days. So it made no sense to even think about running the middle distance Blue course at West Point on Saturday - the only race of the whole weekend that I was signed up for.

But sometimes doing something for the mental benefits outweighs the potential downsides. It felt so good to be out in the woods, beautiful West Point woods, finding controls. It didn't matter that I was going slowly and had to walk every single uphill and half the flats too - it was just a pure joy to be out there, and it lifted my mood for the whole weekend.

Maybe someday I'll be competitive again, maybe not, but just being able to be out there and complete a course gave me such a massive boost of positive mental energy that it was absolutely worth it.

C • I totally understand 7

Middle - Blue - Splits

C • Training 2

C • More laughter 6

The Kempster is killing it: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c...

C • club names 14

The top three most commented logs on AP right now are up there because of injuries to their owners. :(

C • injuries 3

Event: QOC Gunston Hall
 

Event: 2016 NEOC Troll Cup: High Rock
 

Even worse today. Couldn't sleep, barely got out of bed. If I didn't have to walk Barney, I probably wouldn't have made it out of bed.

C • :-( 8

Worse today.

I have been in a lot of pain the last few days, which has made me angry at the world in general. But this reached some sort of a breaking point when, as I was entering the PT office, I didn't notice the glass door and slammed into it forehead- and nose-first. Spent the rest of the day covered in shame and self-pity, but also laughing at my own idiocy.

C • Laughter 4

I have been feeling some improvement in my back the last two weeks, so I took Barney for a brisk walk around the Orange course at QOC's event at Clopper Lake. It was a beautiful cool, sunny morning, and we had a great time on Nadim's very well-designed and fun Orange.

We did just about 12 min/km, which seems like about the highest speed I can achieve while map-dog-walking. Unfortunately, my back definitely feels worse the day after as I write this, so I am not sure if even this little orienteering is a good idea for me. :(

C • map-dog-walking 2

Some easy rolling on the recumbent bike in the evening after a fun afternoon of games with Hannah and Kevin.

Orange - Splits

Long session on the recumbent bike after dropping Alli off at DCA. I watched the Chase. I think that would be a fun game show to be on.

Recumbent bike intervals at the gym, 6x3 minutes, while listening to Ask Me Another on NPR.

C • NPR on Saturday 8

Between focusing on good posture when sitting, standing, and walking, and doing physical therapy, it feels like a lot of my day is spent trying to get my body to work properly. I suppose that's not a bad thing.

Event: QOC Manassas
 

Did short intervals on the recumbent bike in the morning. I am getting pretty sick of that thing. I did 20x1 minute on, 1 minute off.

Alli and I spent the weekend up in Baltimore learning the Gokhale Method for posture, sitting, standing, and walking. A lot of things that were good and will be helpful if we are diligent about them in the long run. Some things were clearly aggravating my back pain, so were not a good idea for me at this point. But I am definitely modifying my sitting at work and working on improving my posture.

C • posture 2

Event: Crooked Compass Adventure Trek
 

Event: OCIN Flying Pig XX
 

Intervals on the recumbent bike on my day off. 10x3 minutes with 1 minute off.