rejuvination ... sorta

Well last week was a rough week.  The past few weeks as part of my research, I have been spending a lot of time outside and seemed to have spent an inordinate amount of time in the especially colder temperatures last week.  As a result, I was just plain exhausted and in a bad funk.  Here is an little video that a professional photographer put together during some of our research two weeks ago in Gervais Lake in the west Metro.


I ended up only running at the Metrodome on Thursday night (6 miles) and a 12 miler on Sunday.  I am suppose to be tapering but crapola that was quite the drop in mileage, I just had no desire to run mentally or physically.  I barely even kept up with all the running blogs.  I went to NE to visit Lindsey this weekend and ran my 12 miler and it was such a good run.  I ran at a good clip and it restored me.  I do not think I have had a single good long mileage run this winter. I have never tried running in the depth of a Minnesota winter but it was much more difficult than I thought. I think after I reach my goal of 4 marathons in a year, this October, I will no longer train for a marathon during the winter months.  Still run, but no training.

Lindsey has been having some knee issues and has been concerned about the upcoming Austin Marathon (12 days!).  I tried giving her a massage on her calves and the back of her knee and was shocked at how notted up it was.  After working on it pretty intensely it unlocked somewhat and her knee pain was GONE.  We went to the Lincoln Running Co. and talked to Ann and she recommended the Trigger Point products.  The package came with a couple of DVDs and some balls and rollers to work your calves and feet.  Here is Lindsey doing some of the excercises (notice the grimace):


She said that although her calves are sore, the knee pain is gone. Hopefully, the pain continues to subside and she gets back into peak form.  I tried the same exercises and I was amazed.  Typically after a longer run, I always wake up with plantar facitalis the next morning but after doing these routines I had almost NO pain this morning. 
Well, after last weeks crummy week, I am ready to get back on the ball and complete my training.  I can not believe Austin is less than two weeks away!