Moose's Archives - July, 2005

Entry the Seven Hundred and Third

16 July 2005

Crazy/Plans

The brace is driving me crazy. I didn't wear it for most of today because I just couldn't take it any more. Otherwise I've been pretty good about wearing it, but with less than a week to go in the thing, it's driving me crazy.

Follow up with the orthopedist is Tuesday, at which point I pray it's well enough to dump the brace. I doubt I'll be able to do things like bike quite yet, but it's definitely better than it was when I started wearing the brace almost three weeks ago. Definite increase in the range of motion, and a definite reduction in pain levels.

I've been doing some sporadic running. Nothing planned, really, just getting up a couple times a week and doing a short run. Also been reading The Triathlete's Guide to Run Training and considering the drills in there. Any increase in economy while running would be a good thing, and this seems to be a method that might work. Heaven knows I've never paid any attention to form or technique regarding my running, preferring instead to just go out and run, doing what seemed "natural." Silly me. I pay attention to swimming technique, and cycling technique, so why not running? Anyway.

I've been thinking about next year's season, trying to do better at planning things out, unlike this year's more haphazard schedule (despite doing the new triathlete program, I still wasn't as planned out as I'd like to have been). I'm thinking I want to do a 1/2 Iron in June. There's a Maryland race, the Eagleman, that's very popular here. But the weekend before that there's another 1/2 up in New Hampshire, the Mooseman. So you can guess which one I'm leaning toward... I think NH would be nice in early June. Maine certainly was at that time of year. So that'll be the big race, then I need to find some others for the earlier and later parts of the season. Training would begin sometime in late December for that, with a 24 week training plan, or thereabouts.

In the meantime, i'd like to use the rest of this year to perhaps do a running race or two, and focus on technique and some weight training to build up ye olde body and prep it for next year. Though if there's a late season sprint I'd love to do another one this year.

But first, get through this healing period with the wrist, then get down to more serious stuff. But to heal, and heal correctly and well, is the first priority, even if the brace is driving me nuts.

Entry the Seven Hundred and Fourth

26 July 2005

Bracing

Almost out of the brace.

My orthopedist had me continue with it for two more weeks, as the chip was not quite completely healed. While I have to wear it while commuting, or while doing things that might unnecessarily stress the hand/wrist, I can take it off for most normal activities now. And for the most part it's been doing really well, which is good news.

Richard and I are having a friend stay with us for 3-6 months, beginning this Thursday. He's a nurse and doing a travel nurse assignment at one of the local hospitals. My understanding is that his schedule will be the night shift, so it's not like we'll see much of him anyway. It'll just mean a little crowding for a temporary bit.

The relationship with K goes well. Today is his birthday, which he's spending with friends from work. I'll see him again tomorrow. This past weekend he "kidnapped" me and we went out to Luray caverns, which was a lot of fun. And certainly distracted from the other stuff I'd been doing all weekend - working.

Worked most of Saturday on legislative drafting assistance for the BGA. Won't go into details, but our efforts seem to have paid off. Mostly. [insert reference to Bismarck's quote about not wanting to see laws or sausages get made] At least I earned some comp time from the affair.

The drills I've done for running seem to be helping get my legs in the 'correct' positioning for the running form I'm trying to adopt. The running itself is going well, but I keep having to remind myself to keep form - de-training those muscles from running the old way will take time. In the meantime, my quads aren't dying after every run, and my lower legs feel fine. Glad I picked up the book and the DVD; this seems to be doing the trick. Now if I could just get the heartrate down more, I'd be set.

Still undecided on going to a new cell phone. I suspect the inertia of just continuing along with no changes will win out here. As much as I want a new phone, and to combine the phone and Palm together into one device, I don't need to do that, so justifying the expense is looking shaky. Especially when I still need to get a new bike later this year if I'm going to race at all next year, and if I'm going to move up in distance past the sprint format.

Entry the Seven Hundred and Fifth

30 July 2005

Uninspired

Decided sunglasses were more important than a new cell phone, so that's where I went this month with the "extra" paycheck money. They're out on order, waiting for them to get a slightly different frame color and get the prescription lenses done. Looking forward to having nice sunglasses instead of putting my regular glasses at risk every time I go riding or running.

Taking today as a down day, cleaning and doing laundry. Needed to get some of that done, and today is as easy as any other day. Richard and MB are wandering around, so it's just me and the cats here. of course, the cats objected mightily when I vacuumed, but that's to be expected.

I've found myself feeling incredibly irritable of late (yes, even moreso than usual). Not entirely sure of the cause, though I have suspicions, but overall it's just annoying as all hell. It's never pleasant to feel like you want to bite someone's head off, but that's been where my head has been of late. Don't think I've been getting dairy products (the former cause of indeterminate ickiness), but who knows. Will try to meditate or the like and work out the causes there.

The irritability hasn't had me in a writing mood for here. When everything is a whine, what's the point? I've tried to do some writing for the front page of countfour.org, and I've posted some pics of my commute the other day, but on the whole I'm just uninspired.

Entry the Seven Hundred and Sixth

31 July 2005

Not Much

Rode down to Hains Point and volunteered for the training triathlon my club was putting on this morning. The ride itself went well, with a touch of soreness in the wrist. Was the first real, outdoor ride since the accident and the triathlon last month. Overall I still need some time off the bike, but I'd really like to get swimming again. In the meantime, the indoor trainer does just fine.

Otherwise the weekend was nice and slow. Spent a good part of today chilling out, doing some small things around the apartment.

Also spent a good part of the day cleaning out whatever the hell was in my stomach. Don't think I've gone to the bathroom that much in ages (and this from someone with chronic digestive problems). Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Managed to pin K down to a next date, this Wednesday, as well as the previously set sleepover on Saturday (his roomie's to be out of town). Looking forward to both. Should be interesting visiting his apartment, praying it's not too much like Carrie's visit to her 20-something bf's apartment in the one episode of "Sex and the City." Probably not, but these things get pondered. *grin*

See the orthopedist on Tuesday, hopefully for the last time. Keep your fingers crossed.