Change of Plans

Things are not on track for a January marathon. I've tried to do the longer mileage, but I've reached a point where I think I'm doing myself no favors. I initially started getting worked on because my screwed up biomechanics were leading to overuse injuries that I could no longer work around. The chiropractor and physical therapist have spent six weeks breaking me down and loosening me up so my pelvis would go back into alignment and I've tried to keep doing marathon training during that process, which has been something of a disaster. With nothing where it used to be, my aches and pains have only multiplied.

Now we've reached the rebuilding phase of my therapy. It's hard work. More aches and pains in new places. And while I think I'll be strong enough by mid-January to handle a marathon, I won't have the mileage under my belt to do it with. And one thing I refuse to do is go out there with no certainty that my body is ready for 26.2 miles of running on concrete.

So I'm changing my focus. I'm going to put my energies into getting strong and biomechanically sound. It's base work, really, and it has to all be re-done as if from scratch because as far as my muscles are concerned, I have a new body to work with and nothing is like what it was before. Getting this part right is where my focus should've been all along and not on the stupid marathon.

Live and learn, right? Sure, I'm getting older, but when will I get wiser?

If things go well, I might do a marathon in Austin or Surfside in February.

I had a good Christmas. It's amazing how low-stress the holiday can be when you're not trying to juggle multiple family commitments. With my parents out of town and Dan wanting to opt out of his aunt and uncle's get-together, our only obligation was Christmas morning with his mother and sister, which went pretty well. We didn't stay long enough for me to get bored, thank goodness.

And then we were free! We had some overpriced but very good Indian food and a long afternoon nap. Yeah, it's no one's idea of a traditional Christmas, but we felt relaxed and happy and didn't dread the day as we have in other, more harried years.

In all, it's been a good holiday so far. Low stress, nice weather, no big time commitments so that my sleep/wake cycle has reverted to up-all-night/sleep-part-the-day. My body's clock has never been right and it's nice not to have to fight it for a week. I'll be suffering that first week back at the office, but for now, why worry? God made caffeine because he loves us and to make up for little mistakes like giving some of us bio clocks that think staying up until 3 am is a good idea.

I hope everyone else had a merry Christmas and/or is having a good Hanukkah!

Recent Workouts
Saturday: 1 hour elliptical, 1 hour bike - Carmichael Training Systems: Climbing
Sunday: Rest Day - Merry Christmas!
Monday: 5.25 mile run
Tuesday: 30 min core and legs, 45 min bike - Spinervals 3.0 Suffer-O-Rama