So now I need to start getting ready for an already full racing schedule that includes:
Lake Sonoma 50 miler.
Miwok 100k
Tahoe Rim Trail 100 miler.
This is going to be awesome!
So I start things off with a run from Arastradero park to Alpine Pond and back. I wasn't sure that this run was such a great idea. I just got back from a two day-1900 mile drive from Kansas the day before. To add to that, at one of the rest-stops on the second day, while playing tag with the kids, I threw a juke on Hayley and totally did something to my neck. This old man stuff sucks! It made the rest of my drive that day miserable, and I was all messed up this morning. But I think running is probably pretty good for a neck injury, here is my theory:
I believe the body tries to immobilize the neck once injury has occurred. This is evidenced in the fact that if you hold the neck in a certain position long enough, any attempt to change that position results in a penalty-big pain. This is the body trying to send a message to you that during rest, you need to keep the neck in one position to allow the body to do it's healing thing. Running is not rest. And it is a full body exercise. If the runner is practicing good running posture, the head should be aligned with the spine, transferring all loads efficiently through the body to the ground, not allowing for off-center head forces that would result in pain due to the injury. Also- your neck muscles are connected to all of the other muscles, and running is a workout that engages the whole body. Therefore the neck muscles are being contracted, and this means that the neck is not at rest. Blood is delivered to the injury, and the aforementioned pain is avoided.
Anyways, the run actually felt really good with respect to the neck injury.
Here are my pictures from the run:
Start of run at Arastradero
I think it is interesting to see the remnants of a tree at the top of a hill.
I like the mossy trees. I also like weeping willows, or old oaks. Anything that seems just a little sad...
First Deer encounter.
I didn't do this. I can appreciate the work though. Tastefully done.
View, Descending into Foothills Valley
Visitors Center at Foothills Park.
Beautiful place to play football, or what is more commonly done by the Palo Alto residents: ultimate frisbee.
I was headed up into those clouds.
The Los Trancos trail is beautiful and fun, but it is way overgrown. I have to run it jungle style, all hunched over and primal like.
You can kinda see the bay.
Madrones are cool.
I think I am finally in the clouds.
I you look closely at the middle, you can make out a shape. This was my first coyote encounter. There were a couple of them. Too bad the clouds were in the way.
Coyote tracks, and also size 13 NB 110s-strategically placed in the middle of the puddle, Seth would be proud.
More Deer.
Furry Tree.
Even more deer.
This is my families favorite stretch of trail, can't see much today.
Usually you can see the Ocean from here.
Even deer slip in the mud! And they have quad traction. Makes me feel better about my clumsy mud running.
Still more deer.
Alpine Pond.
The clouds are lifting a little. Maybe...
Who's that ugly dude?
I was running down the Page Mill trail that connected with Foothills Park, and I heard an awful dog yelping sound. At first I thought to myself that it was weird that someone had their dog up here, but the sound was so strange from what I have heard before. Then I thought that maybe some scary dog like creature, with Toshi's face on the head would jump out of the bush and come after me. I started looking around for the cornucopia so I could retrieve my weapon, but then a couple more coyotes came frolicking through the field. False alarm.
I found a good trail to train for the Diamond Peak climb at TRT. I believe they call this the "Charlie Brown" fire road. Sadly, no sand- then it would be perfect.
Random Mushroom. I like mushrooms. I don't know if I can eat any of these, but I do like to take pictures of them, especially when they are all by themselves- it makes you wonder: why did it grow here?
I really realized how out of shape I am on this run. I have a lot of work to do before I get back to racing. But this sure is fun!
I meant to comment on this when you first wrote the post, but it's cool to think of you squatting down to get a close up of a mushroom. That didn't sound right. But you know what I mean. Or not.
Happy New Year, buddy! And good luck with your running in 2013!
ReplyDeleteI meant to comment on this when you first wrote the post, but it's cool to think of you squatting down to get a close up of a mushroom. That didn't sound right. But you know what I mean. Or not.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to take me to Charlie Brown fire road sometime. We'll see if we can catch this Toshi-yote creature...
ReplyDelete