Pulled a Muscle

As mentioned, I started playing racquetball again...or at least I thought I had.
I was just into the first game when twang...something happened. I could not even turn to swing the racket.
Dave, my playing partner asked what was up and I said," I think I pulled a muscle..." But I did not know for sure cause I do not think I ever did that before.
Right under my ribcage on the left and it only hurts doing very specific moves...like sneezing and last night I reached over across the bed to turn off the light, apparently reaching too far.
Anyway the doc said to take two weeks off.
I was able to run regardless and got in over 13 miles on Saturday.
Felt pretty good doing it too, though when I got home and checked the time it was slower than I thought...big surprise there...hah.
So the long and the short of things is It Sucks to Get Old.

Weather

Neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night...this week in CA we have had a tremendous amount of weather, which we are not used to.
Monday was stormy, but I got the run in.
Tuesday was stormy, including lightening and thunder. I tried to time it and finally found what I thought was a window, but after some short while the lightening was so close, at least if felt like it, I cut it short and headed home.
Wednesday was stormy...getting the picture...and I got soaked. Nice run, but real wet.
Thursday was stormy, but I got the run in. It was windy, but I got the window with relatively little wind.

Feeling slow

Really seem to be just trudging along...feeling real slow so far this year.
Going to have to pick it up to run the 10 Miler in two weeks

Whole new set of muscles

I played racquetball the other day...for the first time in what must be 25 years. Wow what a quick and intense workout. I thought it might be a good cross training method and so I took the dare from a friend. He plays 6-8 times a week. I found my stamina to be good, but my oh my...I tried to play like the last time I was on a court, once I got the hang of having walls all 'round me again. Really need to play at a much more mature pace I think and rely on my wily veteran moves.

At any rate I was sore for days...particularly the glutes...just do not bend over that way so much while running in a straight line.

Great exercise...thanks Dave...he promises to introduce me to handball next. Yikes...

Skunk on the Bridge

The winter seems to bring those little buggers out.
Tuesday there was a skunk on the bridge and I did not see him until I was just a few feet away. I certainly stopped and let him waddle away...
This morning during a particularly early run, 4 am thank you due to an early call at work, I was close to one around the block.
He was out and looking to crawl into a culvert, with his tale up...but I was not sprayed per se...
Skunks...

The Rio Resolution Run

Ran the Rio Resolution Run as most always on January 1, 2010. Some of the nicest running weather that race has had. Got to start fairly close to the front. So much so, I later saw in the paper the guy that carries the American flag was behind. I did not see him before during or after.
At any rate, ran a good steady race. The last couple miles with a gent name Dave Reid. He finished just ahead and I finish at 51.50 for the 6.8 mile track...thinking I did great and maybe beat last year's time...
But then reality set in...a minute and one half slower! A little bummed...but is that old age and the forces of nature slowing me down?

Napa

Went to the beautiful Napa Valley for the week between holidays. Wonderful sights, sounds, and smells...oh yeah and plenty food...ate so much I had to run.
Went out for what I remembered at an eight miler...out of Yountville, over the Yountville Cross to Silverado Trail, across at Oak Knoll Road, and back up to Yountville.
Well, as I was out there I went over the map in my head as I was thinking, "You know, this seems I have been out here longer than an eight should take..." and sure enough I did not add all the distances and it was a 12.
It is a good thing and I handled it well. Nice to have something of that distance while on vaca...
Went to SF for just one night and ran a small bit up on Pacific Heights and into the Presidio. Saving up for the New Year Run at the Rio.