Camden Yards this morning

One o the best things about Camden Yards is that they open the gates on Eutaw St. at 7 AM, so if you can run down there and through the stadium (or at least by a lot of the concessions) in the morning. It's usually pretty quiet, too.

I think I have personally seen Big Papi put four homers onto Eutaw Street. However, I wasn't here for this particular shot:

I know there's a few Troy O'Leary's out there, and a Carl Everett about four feet from Papi's marker.

So, it was two-miles this morning with no issues. Just focusing on form, which is becoming more natural. Arms swinging by my side, hips underneath me, and each foot in its own lane. Alignment and balance. I hope this works. My next jaunt will be the Newport 10-Miler. I will most likely start the race with my sister, run the first mile with her. Then I'll peel off the course and walk it out to either the 7 or 6-mile marker. I'll hopefully not have to wait too long to see her. Then I'll run the last three or four miles in with her. It'll be fun, and hopefully it'll be dry.

Walt Wit

Missed last night's PT appointment because I got stuck in a car with my boss and two others driving back from a meeting in Malvern, PA. The only saving grace was that we stopped at Wegman's on the way home, and I managed to buy a sixer of Philadelphia Brewing Company's Walt Wit. I was hoping that they would have the Kenzinger, but to no avail. Walt Wit is a close second to my taste buds.

Got up this morning and ran two miles; down through Camden Yards and back up again. This time, I figured I would try foam rolling before running to make sure that my IT band was as loose as possible before straining it. It seems to have worked. I didn't feel any twinges. I also rolled after the run for good measure. I guess the real test will be when I wake up tomorrow. Last weekend, it was the waking up on Sunday that revealed a bit of pain in my knees, which felt decent immediately after the run. PT tomorrow: 7:30 am.

Some Thoughts on Boston 2014

First, it was great to see an American, Meb Keflezighi, win it this year.

Second, it was great to see a 38-year-old win it this year. (Guess how old I am???)

Third, it was great to see Brendan Doyle's tribute to his dad, Booby Doyle, with the Johnson & Wales Athletic Club singlet and striped shorts. Link is HERE

Some knee issues again

This past Saturday, I ran 3.3 miles in Hampden. I felt OK for the first mile, but in the second one, I felt a little bit of weird sensation in my left knee of all places. It was the same type of issue I felt in the right knee when dealing with the IT band. Well, upon waking Sunday morning, I had a bit of pain across the anteriolateral part of the knee... uh oh. It was a little twinge, and exactly like I used to feel in December when all these issues started. I am debating a run today, just 2 miles, to see if I can repeat the issue... sounds like a stupid thing, but as an engineer, the first step is often seeing if you can repeat the problem. Or, I may just do some exercises and wait until I see the PT on Tuesday.

Beautiful Run this Morning

I headed out at 6:15 to catch sunrise over the inner harbor. It was a nice 39 F when I went out. Light gloves, long sleeve, and the New Balance 980s. Felt a little bit of pain in my right knee that was apparently totally unrelated to the IT band based on how it felt. It went away after about 0.25 miles. Ran down to the pier next to Little Havana and watched the sun come up with the Domino Sugar factory to the right. Nice. Got about 4 miles total in, maybe a little less. That's probably a bit more than my PT would like, but oh well. It felt OK.

I really can't wait to start stretching out the mileage and just being out for longer periods of time.

Out to 3 miles

Had a good three-miler on Saturday morning. Took a friend down around the stadium and then briefly out to the harbor and back up Charles St to Koffee Therapy for a post-run iced coffee... black no sugar. Didn't feel anything with my knee during the run, but then I was distracted with conversation. However, while doing lunges later that night, I could feel some snapping across the tibial tray of my right knee, which has been where I have consistently felt the pulling on other runs. Still have a weird feeling there this morning. I am going to hold off until tomorrow on running so that I can run with RG3 that night.

In other news, it was great to see PC have its first true home track meet this past weekend. How that program has manged to draw great runners and thrive without facilities is a testament to the coaches there. They have had some great runners while schlepping about, trying to find time on other local tracks. Great news for them: PC Gets a Track

This time 2.4 miles

I purposely stretched my run a bit, out to 2.4 miles this morning. I can still feel the pulling of the IT band as it passes over some of the protrusions of bone. No pain, but it is concerning. It is taking all I have to not push further on distance at this point. I was able to carry a 7:20 pace quite comfortably.

It was a beautiful morning though. About 42 degrees, and the sun had just come up. Nice start to the day. I am looking forward to running this weekend. Might try to take a 3-miler on Saturday, going by some of the House of Cards sites in B'more proper. Apparently, the Underwoods' home is about a mile from me, as is Zoe's apartment.

Ditto.

Another two-miler, same route. No pain, just some pulling sensations. So, status-quo. It is amazing how quickly the fitness level can disappear. I've been doing some very short bike rides (10 min) to keep up fitness and get around. The shitty weather this winter made it harder to keep that up, and the elliptical was bothersome to the knee.

First day back on the road

Wednesday was the first day back out on the road. I never did get the video gait re-analysis, but the PT cleared me for about six to eight miles per week, running every other day, nothing over three miles. I did two miles in the morning yesterday. It was a great temperature for it because I didn't really get warmed up. I felt some slight pulls across the front of my knee, but no pain. I ran straight down Eutaw, then around and through Camden Yards on Eutaw, which was open. It was a nice easy pace, no watch.

The toughest thing was focusing on several form aspects at once: Keeping my hips level and under me, keeping each foot in its own lane, keeping my stride under me rather than reaching out too far, and keeping my arms swinging evenly and out to the side rather than across my body. I couldn't even enjoy the scenery... OK the litter around Lexington Market and such... it was just a constant checking of form in my mind. I know it will eventually become second nature. The T-Rex will soon be extinct.

"All You Deliver"
Jose Gonzalez

On the verge of ruin
You'll see it all clear
How steep the fall is
How long the way back is
On the verge of success
It's all white and fluffy
Horizons are blurred
By the time you reach your goal
Tongues will be twisted
To the point where you'll lose track of your soul
Distorted pictures is all you deliver