First REAL brick of the year.

I am starting to get back on track (everything except for the swimming).  On Saturday I went for a 10.5 mile run on the trace.  I saw a lot of runner friends out on the trace.  I did not push the pace and felt strong for the entire run.  The back did come into play as the distance increased.  It was not debilitating but not being used to this type of pain it is very frustrating.  After the run I am sore the rest of the day in the lower back.  It is not a spine issue – the pain is in the lower back muscles.  Someone suggested that I might have a cracked rib – I don’t think so.

Saturday afternoon I went to the injury prevention clinic conducted by my good friend Dan (http://www.orleansparkrehab.com/).  He broke down common injuries by SWIM / BIKE / RUN and the stretches that can be used to prevent them.  Now, I am not a stretcher but I am going to start. 

Next Dan went over Power Taping.  It was an interesting topic and I video taped Dan taping knees and shoulders (my shoulder).  I will be posting these in the next couple of day.

Next we got to play in the Hydroorx treadmill.  Yeah, a treadmill in a hot tub.  It had video camera under the water and you could see your stride and everything.  When Dan turned the jets up and you had to fight against the water – well, that was the hardest head wind I have ever experienced.  It was a solid workout with 30 second sprints.  And, oh yeah, no IMPACT.

Chad fighting the current!

Sunday brought a solid day.  I was not feeling particular strong but I dialed up a hard trainer workout with the full intension of turning the session into a brick.  I ate my oatmeal and then jumped on the trainer for 4 x10 minutes at hard effort.  This was a 70 minute trainer ride and then I slipped on the running shoes.  I just wanted to feel the legs out but I ended up running a progressively faster ladder.  The paces started at 7:30 minutes per mile and quickly jumped down into the 6’s.  The fastest mile was 6:39.  I completed the 6 mile run at an average pace of 7:05.

I got home and recovered from the workout and jumped on the Sunday afternoon group ride.  I just wanted a few more mile and to enjoy the beautiful weather.  During this ride I hung way back in the pace line and took it easy.  I tacked on another 30 miles (easy 30 miles).

For the weekend I am starting to get some of my numbers back – (26.5 miles running and 55 miles biking).  That is not far off from some of my recent weekly totals.

Monday morning (as I type this) I skipped Masters Swim for the, I don’t know 681st time.  I am going to test the waters today at lunch.  The last time I swam (last week) it was slow and painful.  The shoulder is getting better but I do not want to aggravate it.

I know from working in physical therapy (many, many moons ago) that you have to work an injured body but - where is the line between aggravating the injury and rehabilitating the injury?  - I think I need to ask Dan.