It's all about Pace: December 2011

Friday, December 30, 2011

Well.... We're in

I’ll be heading back to Utah this June to run 148 miles on the Kokopelli Trail. This time Judi is coming too.

http://geminiadventures.com/new/?page_id=130

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Tallahassee

Today we visited my old stomping grounds

On the way we stopped at the classiest convenience store in Lake County and got this nice photo op:

Judi had a 3 hour meeting…

And after we planned to ride here:

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/panhandleeast/trails/tallahassee_stmarks.htm
a nice rail trail from Tallahassee to St Marks on the Gulf coast.

Since I was going to be bored for a few hours Judi conveniently forgot to pack bike shorts…

At 0930 she was off to her meeting and I was off on a shopping mission.

A couple of hours and a few dollars later I had purchased what amounted to be passable attire for her and went off in search of the YMCA.

To say Tallahassee hasn’t changed since I left there 20ish years ago is like saying David Banner is basically the same guy when he gets mad.

Well 20 minutes or so after I set out my blackberry and I found the YMCA.

Ad a nice quick circuit… then back to pick up Judi.

Judi’s new pants… and yes she still has a number on her bike from a ½ IM in Oct (don’t judge) J

And no she does not always ride on her aerobars like that

The trail was nice…

My attempt at artsy

The best part of the ride was the stop in St Marks…

Beer and fries at some dumpy bar and grill…

Our view:

Us:

Just one of the funny posters on the wall:

All finished and cleaned up:

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/panhandleeast/trails/tallahassee_stmarks.htm

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

I don't wear their shoes... But I'm a Nike fan

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Anecdotes and/or antidotes welcome

Over the past week I have been doing a bit of research…

Research that is not in and of itself a pain in the arss but is in fact research on a pain in the arss

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piriformis_syndrome

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sprainsstrains/a/piriformis.htm

it seems.. that Judi and I both are suffering with Piriformis syndrome…

It started for Judi about a year ago… and for me 6 months or so ago. When it started I thought it was just normal soreness… a slight hamstring issue due to a change in my running gait.. I just ignored it like I do for most of my aches and pains but… this time it did not just go away

And now…for me it has gotten to the point of debilitation

Running = Pain from my buttcheeks radiating down to my calf in both legs… I can’t generate much power… I have to keep a short stride… and the speed is just not there

Sitting = discomfort in the area as well… I have even contemplated a standing type desk.

And picking stuff up off of the floor… oh, that has been difficult for quite some time now… and makes me feel like an old man

I’ve started doing research/rehab and treatment as I, once again, try and fix up this old body… but all that said..

Anecdotes and/or antidotes welcome…

I’d love to hear some success stories

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The Stay at Home Tourists

this story actually took place almost 2 weeks ago...

Ribault's monument and my Lemond

For most endurance sports is an activity, for many it is a chore… and they call it “Cardio”. The purists, and the “racers” it is training… Serious and regimented.

At times I’m sure that I am all of these… but on the weekends.. we are first and foremost adventurers. We don’t ride the same group ride… or run the same routes each weekend… but at the same time… we are parents of teenagers… have jobs houses dogs etc…

We still find time for adventure… and often find it not too far from home.’

This past weekend was a good example.

We had an hour run and an hour ride on tap for Saturday… So where to go?

We have been meaning to run the trails at the Timucuan Preserve … and since this is the only part of our fair city that has anything close to a hill we decided to do our ride in this area too.

With only two hours of training (marathon taper) we had a rare Saturday when we went about the business of getting up and getting ready in a leisurely way…. Including coffee, breakfast and a bit of a stab at the crossword puzzle in the paper.

But wait… I’m getting a bit ahead of myself… the story actually starts on Friday… We met at lunch for a quick circuit. I decided to do a couple of sets of deep squats… yeah… getting strong and flexible I thought… that’s what I get for thinking.

Delicioso

By the time we built our homemade Pizza for supper I had already started getting a bit sore and when I swung my feet of the side of the bed the next morning it was confirmed… my legs were in a great deal of pain and no amount of movement or stretching was going to help anytime soon.

No matter fresh trails awaited at the Timucuan Preserve.

So we loaded up the bike… put on our trail shoes and headed out.

The trails did not disappoint.. gnarly and rooty, plenty of ups and downs, and scenic views of the marshlands too…

We ran for an hour or so…

Then grabbed our bikes and went for the hilliest bike ride I’ve ever done in Jacksonville, Florida (which is to say that we rode up 4 “hills”)

On our way back to the car I asked if we could go a bit further down the road “just to see where it goes” a mile further on we happened upon a historic site - the Ribault Monument (link for details)