Vitamin I

I'm not a big fan of downing ibuprofen on a regular basis (least of all before a run...which I avoid), but the end of this week provided enough pain for me to resort to a few rounds of vitamin I.

Here were this week's totals:

M - 7.0 mile run
T - 4.0 mile run
W - off
T - 6.0 mile run
F - 4.0 mile run + weights (ouch)
S - off (ouch)
S - 17:00 spin on the Airdyne

Miles Run: 21.0

The positive news of the week was starting off with a 7-mile run, which is my longest run since early March.

On the flip side, Friday wasn't a fun day for me. My hamstring had been feeling more or less okay during the week. Friday's run was no different. After the run, however, it was bothering me quite a bit. After that run, since I had been neglecting it, I decided to do a short workout with the weights. I did some pullups, bench presses, then moved on to the deadlift. I haven't been deadlifting a lot of weight for a while due to a cranky lower back, so I figured I could handle this with no problems. Oh, how wrong I was. During the third rep, I felt and heard an audible pop in my lower back. I immediately dropped the weight. I did finish my workout (dumb), and my lower back proceeded to hurt and lock up quite a bit.

Upon waking up the last two mornings, I can barely bend. Putting on my socks is agonizing (and nearly impossible.) Thankfully, my back gradually loosens up a bit as the day wears on, but it's going to take a week or two to mend.

As for the hamstring, I'm not sure what to do. I rode my neglected Schwinn Airdyne today, since I'm able to sit upright on it (as opposed to my racing bike, which would kill my back), so I at least got in a short cardio workout. I'll play it by ear as to whether or not I'll run soon. In the meantime, I'm doing the usual: ice, heat, stretching, for both my back and hamstring.

Getting old is getting old.

So Far, So Good

Not that a ten minute spin yesterday was a major undertaking, but so far today, I have no heel pain. I also did a 5 minute warmup on the Airdyne before my weights workout today, so it seems like my heel can handle small amounts of cardio work at this point. Hey, I'll take what I can get.

Speaking of weights, today's workout took me to a place I hadn't been to in many years — to the edge of puking and passing out. I downed a cup of strong coffee just before the workout (which I've done before), then hit it HARD. I not only increased the intensity on every lift, I also added sets and ended up extending the total workout time to 68 minutes. Too long, based on most knowledgeable opinions. I was training on nerve, starting to get shaky, getting tunnel vision and feeling pretty queasy. I've been hitting my entire body in each workout, but from here on out, I'll be splitting up body parts in order to keep the workouts short(er) and intense, without the overwhelming desire to drive a porcelain bus.

I hope to do another stint on the Airdyne over the weekend — probably only 10 minutes again, just to play it safe.