Greenway Cyclocross Pics

still sidelined

The end of week #3 is almost here and I'm not sure if there is any improvement yet. I've been laying off any exercises involving my leg and it is slowly driving me nuts... esp with the nice weather (the trail run sunday had snow!) I got a massage yesterday to try and work things out a bit, which was painfully good as always, followed by an epsom bath. This morning however that whole quadrant of my leg was sore to the touch. Granted, sometime this happens naturally after one of Mr. Alley's sessions, but I guess I'm just hypersensitive to anything in that area right now. I scooted home from work just now for alternate sessions of ice & heat (can't exactly treat that area in a corporate office, although they think I'm a bit odd as it is....)  Everyone I talk to has different suggestions of therapy and I have no idea what is most right. (ice - reduces the inflammation vs heat, promoting stimulation/rebuilding in the area).  Anyways, I am really hoping I can bike up at Raccoon on Saturday before I jet to the flatlands of central FL on Sunday for Christmas week.

a very dorky xmas

I headed to N.Ga for the annual BOD xmas party this past weekend. It was good to see everyone and catch up. A few pics are below. On Sunday, Clifford, Matt & his friend Chris went biking at Blankets. Wow, it's been over 1.5 yrs since I've been here. It was a bit weird, remembering the trail (as I used to ride here a few times a month) but not having it exactly as I remember. Matt also took us on a tour of the new North Loop that is under construction - very nice! SORBA Woodstock is doing a great job down there.

Rusty & me

me, Clifford, Mark

the gals: tracey, amy, lisa, natalie

trev's handy work, always in demand during the gift exchange. 

regulation championship cornhole set

wall art made from barbed wire, scrap metal & a chainring.

on the injured reserve list

last thursday was our normal speed workout at the GPS track. it was a bit colder out, but i didn't think much of it. we warmed up around coolidge park, then did 2 laps of cat & mouse. next we planned a hawk and dove lap before the real workout began. this exercise has a staggered start, with the goal of everyone finishing at the same time. the slowest person goes first, then you have to judge when to go based on your own speed. i let the dove get about 100-150m and started. 2 strides in i felt an instant tightening in my groin. oooh, not good. i kept running, but could tell it wasn't quite right. it felt worse as the night went on (yeah, silly me kept on running, although not at a normal speed night tempo). for 2 days i had some pain, but that subsided and has left me with a stiffness there that isn't quite right. sigh.

i tried to take it easy this weekend.... i was definitely out of the Boonie's FatAss 50k, which was really a perfect distance for me in prep for Mt Mitchell. i was hoping to be able to do the cyclocross race, figuring it was shorter and maybe doable... but realized i just wouldn't be able to swing my leg over my saddle time and time again. oh well. instead i played spectator to that race (pics to come) and went to the post-fatass party at Krandyland.  (we watched the dvd they  made during their Rim to Rim to Rim run of the Grand Canyon in October - I'm so doing that next year!)

sunday i was being greedy and since i thought i was feeling better, i did a trail run with the vixens (possum creek gorge). i took it way easy though, running about half the distance i normally would have in the time allotted. i stuck with some trail newbies and we had a great time. that afternoon i did a swim clinic with the Krystal Chiks - hoping to pick up some tips from local coach Dale Tillman. my favorite thing she said.... saying we needed to be in the water 3x/week. i'm thinking wow, if i make it in once a month i'm doing good! yeah, not my fav thing... the water at Baylor was too cold.

so now here i am, 1 week later and extremely restless. no running, no cycling. no weight lifting (due to 2 aggravated shoulder injuries from yoga and mtn bike crashes). i am able to do 2 things: swim (yes, i actually went to the Y last night for 30 painfully boring minutes), and Vantaggio's Boot Camp. WOW. more on this later. we meet at 6am and i can't be late or we'll be punished with Motivational Exercises. luckily i haven't been late yet, but the lack of sleep is starting to wear on me.  off to set the multitude of alarms....