ah yes, it's coming back to me....

that wobbly feeling you get from trying to run after a ride, even though i'm not sure i'd call it an actual brick i rode for about an hour came home changed at a leisurely pace and than ran 3 miles. the ride was cool, the run not so much and i use the term "run" liberally as it was more of a shuffle...mind over matter my legs wanted to stop but i kept going. we bay area folks are currently experiencing a mild heat wave and i'm dripping and panting as i write this post. swimming 3 days a week at el cerritto pool, i'm almost feeling good enough to hang with the masters 6am group soon.

Pacific Grove Olympic Triathalon

well, it appears that i've finally gone an registered for a race...my first olympic distance triathalon with the team in training....though, i don't think my head has actually registered with it just yet.....between the .93 mile open water swim or the fund raising commitment i can confidently say i've got some challenges ahead of me this year.

a good cause

while i've been running purely for pleasure and thoroughly enjoying myself it's been haphazard and i've had a hard time tapping into "race mode". when kate mentioned she was going to a Team In Training information meeting conveniently located in my city i was intrigued. when katrina got interested my curiosity grew. so i'm going just to check it out. the thing i'm most worried about is the fundraising as i have very little experience with it. we're all interested in doing the half-marathon but i'm not ruling out another triathalon. so we'll see....

sisters

happy feet

there ain't nothing like a good running shoe. the fine folks at TRANSPORT on solano turned me onto to a new brand. normally loyal to asics, i tried on saucony's progrid omni 7 ultimate. we've been running together a couple of months now and during today's 5 miler when fatigue started to creep up i'd check in with my feet and they felt damn good. the weather today is GORGEOUS just perfect for a run....i know we need the rain....but nobody was happier than me to be outside in the sun today. not even the ipod batteries pooping out after the first mile could alter my good mood......and things just got better when i called in for jury duty and didn't have to serve. woohoo!

welcome to the middle of the road

the comedian dana carvey said it well when he pointed out the as one enters middle age you can get hurt doing absolutely nothing.

last year just before thanksgiving towards the end of my shift i was careless about body mechanics and strained my back while transferring a not-so-small brain injured marine back to bed. luckily i had requested friday off so i had 5 days to recover...i never said a word to my employer. i returned to work after my holiday cautious but able to resume my duties. the incident was however a wake up call that i really needed to get myself back on track with exercise and especially core fitness.

not long after i discovered bikram yoga. i've been to 10 sessions since i started in mid january and the 90 minute sessions are tough. the running is still not where i want it to be but but about halfway around ceasar chavez this morning i caught a glimpse of hope that i'm still a runner and just have to build up again.

so back to my opening comment, on monday about 15 minutes into my shift i was at a patients bedside and as i reached to adjust his pillow my right upper back seized up and a sharp knife like pain swept along the my intercostals.......wtf! i was in agony and all i did was extend my right arm, no lifting , no twisting, again wtf!!!

i had to speak up this time and make the walk of shame to occupational medicine and get checked out. the most obvious limitation was trying to twist to my left side ...it hurt allot! my doctor, who looked about 20 and more like a model than an MD was despite my immediate disdain for her quite sweet and after a few other choice moves that hurt like hell gave me a slip for modified duty and a bottle of ibuprofen...800 mg of course.

so i iced and ate ibuprofen the next 2 days, on wednesday morning i woke up at 5 am in pain and decided to go the 6 am yoga class and it totally blew. i forced myself to stay the entire session and i just did what i could. after wards i wallowed in self pity for a few hours and then i re-read some of my past blog entries and a few others and before i knew it i was picking myself up and dusting myself off. i've always said a shitty workout is often better than no workout.

friday i awoke pain free and when i went to occ. med for a check-up i was given a clean bill of health and am back on regular duty. i went for 3 miler this morning and took a few walk breaks with no weird ego issues, just glad and grateful than i can move and work and be active.

still around

in the last few weeks i've managed to climb back on the fitness train. i'm not interested in registering for any races still but i've been getting in 2 pre-dawn runs a week. i broke up with "Y" and found an awesome bikram yoga studio in el cerritto...i crave heat and have taken to this form of yoga like a duck to water.

my laptop has been in the clutches of repair for weeks....don't ever send your computer in for repair over the holidays...slow, slow, slow.........so at i'm at M's mercy when she's in a rare good mood to use hers...arrgg, meanagers! happy belated new year to anyone who still stops by....i try to check in when M is not looking....when i get my laptop back i'll write more about my comeback, HA HA HA!!!