Friday, February 15, 2008

Goals: I Haz Dem

funny pictures
moar humorous pics

So, this weekend is the Austin Marathon and Half-Marathon. I have the half-marathon in my sidebar race schedule, but my goal is a big fat question mark.

Literally, it says "????"

It's not as if I don't have goals, it just seems like the dang little birds won't come down out of the tree where I can reach them.

See, I originally signed up for the marathon. It feels like it has been so long since I ran a good road race and was able to run hard. I thought that after Ironman Wisconsin, I could take a break and then build up for a good marathon time. I've gone 3:53:41 for the marathon, and I had hopes of going faster, especially since my long run times were comfortably averaging better than 9 minutes per mile.

Then, I ran a 5 k and the running gods decided to rip my left hamstring out of my a$$ cheek and tear my calf muscle to boot.

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So, I changed the goal. Maybe I can run a reasonable half-marathon time.

Then, I mixed in some strength training, including squats.

animated-squat-diagram

My 41-year-old hips don't lie. They told me, "dude, you're 41 years OLD--REPEAT IT WITH ME, OLD!!!

old_guy

"Sure, you could leg press the whole stack on the weight machine when you played soccer, but that was 25 years ago. Your left hip flexors, gluteus minimus, psoras major and your general groinal area are now on strike.

"Oh, and you've got a cold, so all that respiration you were counting on doing, forget it."

So, I changed the goal again. Maybe, I can finish if I run really slowly and carefully, if my heart doesn't explode, if I don't start bleeding from my ears and eyeballs, and if my head doesn't start spinning 360s while projectile vomit spews out of my mouth. After all, it's only a flesh wound.

g840494_HolyGrail017

"I'm INVINCIBLE!"

(all together now) "You're a looney."

I ran a little today, and I ran a little yesterday. Some of it was painful, and sometimes the offending areas loosened up OK. Doc says the joint is OK. It's just muscular soft tissue stuff. So, we'll just have to see, but if I go any slower, I feel like I'll be going backwards.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Have fun and be careful out there Greyhound!

Taconite Boy said...

Take a care hounddog.

UltraMamaC said...

um, so your "backwards" is probably still faster than my "booking it." I'll be on the lookout for you -- I'll be the one in the Longhorn visor doing 10:30ish miles and hoping it doesn't rain before I get done.

Good luck and be smart about it.

Donald said...

Classic Python pic - I love it! Good luck with the rehab.

Trisaratops said...

OMG. That just made me laugh. Out loud.

Go get 'em, tiger!

And watch out for killer rabbits.

LBTEPA said...

Good luck and take care

Rainmaker said...

Good luck! And remember...it's not worth throwing your season away for an early season race. ;)

tri-mama said...

boy there is a lot of leg and foot stuff going on around bloggerville lately. Ice, ice baby and give it a rest. --wait, I didn't say that- no go run as hard as you can for the entire 26 miles (because you never listen to me anyway) :-)

21stCenturyMom said...

What you need is some ART - and I'm not talkin' cultcha. Guess it will have to wait until after the easy 13.1 training run you paid for. Slow and steady wins the race, baby!

monica said...

keep the bigger picture in mind, and i think it's that leeeeeeeetle race called IRONMAN right?? but hell, if you're gonna get all looney on us, at least promise to wear a crazy red-gold-green rasta get up like the fallen lady has on....

Fe-lady said...

Use whatever you do as a training run...keep the big pix in mind! No more injuries! (But do as I say, not as I do!) :-0

Brent Buckner said...

More rehab than Amy Winehouse....

pinkgurugal said...

dont worry...you're in good company. liam has an achilles tendon issue and i got crapped out knees.
misery loves company

RunnerGirl said...

Love the pictures - especially the last one!

Herself, the GeekGirl said...

I'm pretty sure the injured and limping, you could still kick my ass in any marathon. And if I can drag my slow butt across the finish line, anyone can.