What have I been doing the past 9 months since my last post? Where to start... well, I made the classic mistake of attempting to run through a developing injury in late April. The pain was severe post-run but during the runs I could run without limping. With a little iburpofen and a stubborn mindset, I made the ambitious decision to race a 5k in Concord and after running to win the race, the following day my entire calf was swollen to the point that I could hardly walk. Most likely due to my negligence, the injury in my calf and knee was serious and had me limping for about two months.
During those two months I completed the first year of my grad program and made the best of the remaining weeks with my friends at UNH. Many members of "the brotherhood" graduated and are now living very different lives compared to last Spring. Despite my injury woes, it was good to focus on enjoying my last real month of college life.
The injury plagued me to a lesser degree but was still present throughout the summer. I worked for a general contractor in Portsmouth for the first half of the summer in an effort to earn some money before my wedding in July. I was exhausted and the physical work prolonged the lingering tenderness and irritation behind my knee. I recall my knee giving out a few times when I was carrying heavy building materials. I hated the work, but I was most dissatisfied with the feeling that my injury was never going to leave me. I talked frequently about seeing a specialist but inexplicably I never picked up the phone to call. I think perhaps I was too wrapped up in the idea of getting married which was clearly my primary interest at the time.
Finally, the wedding came and it was a wonderful day. This might be cheesey or cliche, but it was seriously one of the best days of my life. Looking around during the reception, I saw so many people I loved. My only regret for that day is not everyone I care about could attend. But, c'est la vie.
I coached for Merrimack Valley Striders youth program all summer, too. This was a fun way to connect with kids and parents and stay involved in the sport which I had somewhat forsaken due to my ailments. Coaching also served as my motivator to really solve the injury problem once and for all. I bought a Scott Addict R4 roadbike with modified parts and began an intense cycling program to build up muscle in and around my quad and calf. To an extent the cycling had a positive impact! It was sweet relief to at least be getting consistent exercise once again.
The fall cross country season started up for many runners and I was assistant coaching at Oyster River High School in Durham. I was forunate to walk onto a team that was well prepared with summer volume and a motivated bunch of kids. I began running with the team on an infrequent basis while continuing to cycle as time permitted. By the end of the cross country season, I was running workouts with Gubby and Jack who were in fantastic shape, and I was feeling pretty good about my fitness despite only running about 20 miles a week. Clearly I had no base, but at least I was on my way to returning to running. All the while, my calf and knee still lingered but to a manageable degree, thanks to the cycling which had balanced out my weak right quad muscles.
All this to say I have somewhat succesfully returned to running. To date, I have had 5 full weeks of training at 65 miles a week on 5-6 days on singles. The injury which plagued me the past 9 months has pretty much subsided. I think there is some scar tissue which occassionally reminds me to stretch. I don't take any pain medication and haven't had to ice since the fall. I am incredibly excited to be joining Central Mass Striders for the upcoming road racing season. The team has so many talented and hard working guys whom I have met over the years. It will be awesome to toe the line with them and push myself to new limits in the coming months. My primary goal this new year is to be healthy. I would also like to PR at distances 5k and above. With a good base from college running, smart decision making and an awesome community of local runners, I don't see why this can't be the best year for me yet.
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