Marathon Recovery

I haven't been able to do much over the last week. I did some stretching and swimming last Monday and Tuesday to work down the swelling in my knees, but then I came down with a nasty chest cold that I've had ever since. (I'm sure it was a combination of fatigue, the chilly locker room at the Y, and no doubt my chi declined slightly after I had achieved my goal.) As long-time readers now, any time I get a lower-respiratory infection it totally knocks me on my butt, and stays for a while.
So, it doesn't look like I'll be doing the half marathon next weekend, but maybe I'll be a volunteer.

My Marathon

It was a great weekend in Philadelphia. Sue and I, along with our friends Julie and Joseph and their baby Jack, made the trip to the city so I could run the Philadelphia Marathon. It was so great having that support.

The run was much tougher than I expected, but I hit my goals, and even though I am hurting today, I am proud of myself for having done it. You can read all the details on my other blog.

What's next for me? Well, I want to focus on swimming, so that when I do my next triathlon, I can be more worried about my time in the swim than whether I can actually do it without drowning. And I want to learn to play the guitar. (I know, not the same thing, but a new challenge nonetheless.)

Joseph says he would like to try a marathon, so if he's serious, I will try to train him.

Mid-week Report

The Marathon is just 72 hours away...

While I am taking it easy this week, that doesn't mean I'm doing nothing. Tuesday I did lower-body strength training. The squats were tough: it had been a while since I'd done them. And I hate the leg curl machine at the YMCA. It can't be adjusted in any meaningful way, and I don't get full range-of-motion in the exercise. I'll try the seated one next time, but I'm hopeful that my old gym will re-open.
Yesterday I was going to upper-body, but I really felt like I needed to get in a run. So instead of strength training, I did an easy, 4.5-mile loop near where I work. The only bad part of that was near the end, when I had to run on a busy road because they were working on the bike path.
Then last night I had a massage from Christine. First she did a 20-minute Sports Massage, followed by an invigorating Zero Balance session. I felt taller when I left.

I'm not certain what the rest of this week holds. I think I'm going to swim today, and then maybe a very short 2-mile jog on Friday, just to keep the engine warm. We leave for Philly Saturday.

For a Taper, This is Hard Work

I've been easing back as I prepare for next weekend's Philadelphia Marathon. But this weekend there was a lot to do. Saturday I did a group run with some people from NVRC. Then I spent about two hours hauling and stacking firewood (I was trying to get as much done as possible before it started raining).
Yesterday I spent another hour finishing up the firewood, then Sue and I went to the gym for some strength training. I swam for about 15 minutes as well. I am learning the Total Immersion technique, and while I have the stroke down, there is still some work to do. For example, I have to remind myself to breathe sometimes, so I wind up with a little oxygen debt that's hard for me to make up. Also, I am so focused on keeping my head down that I failed to realize how close I was to the wall a couple of times.
After all that, I played a few games of volleyball. I thought my legs might be tired, but I crushed a couple of spikes. My timing felt better than usual.

Five Benefits to Yoga

More news you already knew, from Nubella.

Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday, and as always, I am reflective. I often think about what I want to accomplish in the next year. I've found lately that I am more interested in reaching out to other people in the local fitness community, and so I want to do more of the same, both with CPR and with NVRC. I'm also seriously considering volunteering for Big Brothers. I have a lot of pent-up wisdom to share.

I did a 7-mile run around campus last night, and yoga this morning. I still need to solve the gym dilemma, though. I'm wasting away!

I also got a mention today in the local paper for a run I led last weekend.