- For the first time in about two months I was able to run on consecutive days.
- For the first time in about two months I was able to run completely pain free.
- I was able to successfully complete four runs this week.
- I incorporated a greater variety of leg exercises at the gym.
- I increased the level of intensity on core exercises.
- I worked out at the gym 4 days this week.
- I did my first interval training workout on my road bike.
- My plateau is way busted...down about 10 pounds from 3 weeks ago. I'm knocking on 200 now.
Let me say that I am thrilled with my leg's improvements. The focus on stretching, providing time, icing, compression and strengthening is FINALLY really paying off. I can sit in a chair for about 20 minutes pain free now. Before, sitting in a hard chair was painful. Now is the hard part.
How and when will I know when I can "open up" a little bit. Running at this pace takes a lot of focus when my leg isn't hurting. Now, if I do too much and aggravate the injury while intentionally running harder, that's okay, I can live with that. Reinjure due to lack of concentration, on the other hand, would infuriate me.
My game plan for now is just to run at the same pace until the end of the run where I'll "open up" a bit. I'll monitor how that feels and progressively define the end of the run as longer distances.
Friday was our first day back to school, though it was meetings the ENTIRE day. If you've never been in meetings with a group of teachers, you've never been in a bad meeting. Teaching isn't my first gig, I know how meetings are outside of education and they're pleasant by comparison. Now, remember that I mentioned sitting in hard chairs is painful to my injured hamstring/glute? Yeah...I'll leave it at that.
After lunch we did one activity because of such a high number of new staff. We had to find 5 people we did not know and learn a few specific things about them with the expectation that we'd remember and recall later in the day. Know how many people that I know came to introduce themselves to me (they weren't playing, they really didn't recognize me)? More than I expected, though I lost count.
Maybe because of the meetings, where I normally try to obtain some sort zen enlightenment much like a martial arts expert going somewhere in his mind to ignore the pain, but I didn't play with any of the people that didn't recognize me. I gave everybody an easy out. Nobody felt embarrassed or awkward. I've got some karma coming my way!
I was again struck with the realization that other than a handful of friends, the only people that readily recognize me are the new people. It's pretty funny.
This week I watched Fat Head. Fat Head was in my suggested movies on Netflix. I didn't want to watch another Supersize Me. While Supersize Me was entertaining, I found it to be intellectually dishonest. I approach life with the idea that humans are autonomous creatures (it's actually the framework from which I approach teaching teenagers). Supersize Me, however, cast people that made poor decisions as victims of circumstance, which also reads: Need Saving!
Anyhow, FatHead was hilarious and interesting. While I wouldn't take the dietary actions of the comedy-documentary (self-proclaimed), the video did touch on a lot of issues regarding data manipulation by researchers as well as corrupt government and the role of the well-intentioned but misinformed.
While it was a low budget film that largely poked fun at Supersize Me, it wasn't poorly made. If you have an hour and a half to kill and can't stand to watch Hot Tub Time Machine, give Fat Head a chance. If nothing else, it'll probably challenge some of what you think you know about cholesterol's role.
Here's to another week of improved health!
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