Thinking of next year.

Haven't had much to say so haven't been writing! My piriformis/ass/leg issue or whatever it is has greatly been reduced. Been running most days with little to no pain. I think I'm going to skip Beacons Ultra since I don't believe I've ran enough since Superior and I feel it best to make sure this injury goes away 100% rather than take a chance. Shame. Beacons is a cool race. 

So right now I'm getting back into the game at an easy fun pace, no pressure. We've had the time change already for daylight savings so the photo opportunities will be better now too so hopefully I'll get more pics and less words soon. 

Still looking at races for next year. UTMB still is a possibility if I get in. Signed up for the Highland Fling in Scotland (50 miler, May I think). Considering a race in Sweden (145 mile!) and also Andorra (circumnavigates the country in the Pyrenees)  in case UTMB doesn't happen. These things fill up so fast that you need to sign up with the possibility of not going. I can't count on UTMB so need to have a back up plan.

Away we go. 

Moving onward

Holy shit! Three days of running in a row! Two on the treadmill and one outside. Feeling ok I guess. The pain in my ass is still there but slowly getting better. It sure was nice to get outside for a run, ran at my normal pace for about 5 miles. A little pain but nothing got worse so looks like I'm doing something right. Glute bridges, golf ball massage, foam roller, and my normal calisthenics routine seems to be helping. Oh, and ibuprofen. 

Land of Confusion

I'm kind of in a land of confusion currently. It's the end of the racing season pretty much, I'm looking forward to some sort of bigger race next season, and unsure of this injury. None of my preferred races are either available, do not really line up with my schedule, or they have stupid rules like requiring vehicle support. The main big race is a lottery entry and not guaranteeing an entry is forcing me look for a guaranteed entry (before races fill) that I may have to back out of. If all that makes sense.

I want to run but my daughter is still not allowing me to. Although I do have options other than the morning to run I'm not taking them. I have been riding the bike every other day or so. Maybe the little one knows something about this injury and isn't allowing me to run? 

Beacons Ultra is up and coming and I'm unsure of it still. Rely on my base mileage and just do it for fun? Don't go? Will I be healed by then? Will I finish? No idea as of now. 

Sure seems and feels like the season is over, time for a break, regroup, plan, recover, heal. Maybe can Beacons? I hate to drop from another race this year due to injury but that may be the best option.

Limbo, but excited to train and get strong.

Getting better

Ok so I've actually been running a couple times this past week. Only on the treadmill and only for 30 or so minutes, and about 3 miles. But it's running. It was mildly painful but did not get worse which was a good sign. I've wanted to get outside and go further but I am dead set on morning running versus my recent thoughts on night running (as is my wife!). I just hope this phase my daughter is going through of getting up early goes away soon (I think she's pushing her last two molars through). She did it again today. Nothing I hate more than laying on my ass in bed doing nothing. Sleeping in is a waste of time. 

So I've been working hard to strengthen my glutes and hamstrings to hopefully support whatever muscle is weak and injured currently. It seems to be working. I've been doing 4 x 50 of glute bridges (short bridges) twice per day and some other miscellaneous bridge type exercises. Thinking about it, it is possible that my huge focus on squats has strengthened my quads too much in relation to the hamstrings/glutes causing this. 

I've had a renewed enthusiasm as well for Beacons Ultra. I had been really down about this injury and not running but the reality is that there is nothing I can do but focus on solving the issue and do what I can for training. If I race well I race well, if not, at least I got out to see some more beauty this country has to offer.