I have once again rejoined the running world. I logged three short, slow runs this week (2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles), and boy am I out of shape! That doesn't bother me. I've been there before and I know the drill. What does bother me is how my left knee is feeling. It's been hurting, quite a lot, for probably 40% of my running time. It usually settles down a bit once I'm well into the run, but even then I feel like I need to baby it a little. I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure this knee needs to be scoped. But, of course, I've already gone and signed up for a 10k trail race with my daughter on April 19th. I also bowl in a league (as you know if you've read a recent entry), so if/when I get something done, it'll at least be after bowling season ends in March. I'm hoping the knee pain diminishes on its own and I can run the race. It's been hurting for a long time, though (over a year, even during walks), so it's probably not just a passing thing.
My left hip seems to be pretty tight and sore most of the time, too. Feels almost arthritic. The body is slowly breaking down. Jeesh, I'm not THAT old!
But I am glad — pain or not — to be back out there, running some miles with my dog...who also needs to get back in shape.
My quest to get to 10,000 lifetime running miles (which I thought I was doing last year) is back in action. I'm currently 123 miles shy of the mark.
I'll get there...
Showing posts with label bowling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bowling. Show all posts
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Goal Achieved
As has been the case with several recent blog posts, this one will have nothing to do with running, for which I apologize. I don't have a blog for which this post would be appropriate, so running friends, please indulge me. It is, at least, about a physical activity.
I started bowling at the wee age of four (way back in the early 70's) and have bowled on many leagues, on and off, since then. I'm not particularly a gifted athlete (an understatement), yet having started so young, bowling is one "sport" (okay, a game, really) that I'm pretty good at. I usually carry a league average of 205-210 and, many years ago, my dad taught me how to throw a pretty sweet hook (if I do say so myself). However, the one thing that has eluded me in that world was the Perfect Game. The old 300. 12 consecutive strikes. Three times I've come close (once during league, twice in practice), rolling two 290 games and a 289. To be honest, the 290 games, as close as the scores appear, weren't even close to being perfect games. In both of them, I rolled a 9 and a spare in the first frames, then — with no pressure of a potential 300 — rolled 11 consecutive strikes to finish those games. The 289, however, was very close. I had strikes lined up for 9 frames. Crushed the pocket the first ball of the 10th frame for my 10th in a row. The next ball, I left the ten pin, which I spared for a 289. My wife was the only witness to that one, so it wouldn't have been sanctioned. Not that she doesn't have the power to sanction things. Just not with the USBC.
Last night, before my weekly league (my team consists of my dad, stepmom sister and myself, dubbed "Lightning Strikes"), I told my wife and oldest daughter that I was going to roll a 700 series, a 300 game, or both. I've made similar claims before, but I honestly felt like it was going to be an "on" night for me. After a very slow start to the season in late September, things have finally started clicking. I'm using a new ball and learning what it can do (it plays down and in very well, even on heavy oil.) Two weeks ago, I rolled a 669 series, followed by a 662 series last week. I suffer from pain in my right hand (tendon damage, I believe), so I've had to modify my delivery a bit, which helps to alleviate the pain. Last night, I switched to that delivery exclusively during the third game (incidentally, my new delivery involves keeping my hand flat during the backswing, then quickly flexing my wrist and lifting on the release, as opposed to cupping my hand & wrist during the entire approach.)
I started the night with a 234 game, with 5 consecutive strikes out of the gate, which felt good. This season, my first game has usually been my lowest, so it was nice to start well. Game two was down a tad (217), but I managed to stay "clean" (no opens) for both games. I mentioned to my dad that I needed a 249 third game for a 700 series, about which I wasn't terribly optimistic. Fortunately, the lanes seemed remarkably consistent all night. The only adjustment I made, aside from modifying my delivery, was to move 1 board left during the 2nd game while still throwing over the 2nd arrow. The pocket felt big all night, but it grew even more during the third game. After my 5th consecutive strike, my dad stated that he would no longer talk to me (a common practice among bowlers en route to a potential perfect game, much like a pitcher throwing a no-hitter).
I was eager to get up and bowl as quickly as possible, feeling like I could lose my groove if I waited too long. In the 8th frame (I believe), the 7 and 10 pins taunted me, eventually falling to save me from a big split. When the 10th frame arrived, my nerves were kicking in. It took all my willpower to keep my head out of the game and let me body take over on auto-pilot. I was really grooving my swing and my delivery had been consistent. I obviously wanted to keep it that way to finish off the game. My first ball in the 10th hit light, leaving the 7 pin to wobble before being tripped by the 4. Ten in a row. My hands were just starting to sweat and shake a little and my mouth was getting dry. "Just two more, Colin. Just like all the rest." I couldn't look at my teammates or any of the others gathered behind the lane to cheer me on. I honestly don't remember what the second ball looked like, but the pins fell, thankfully. I remember clapping my hands together so hard that they stung. Before the third and final ball, I managed to block out the sights and sounds around me, although I was afraid that my nerves were going to affect my delivery. Four steps, release, POW. One of my most solid strikes of the game...and a very heavy and old monkey off of my back.
I also managed my lifetime high series (751) and a clean night (no opens). I'll be ordering my 300 ring next week. We also swept our opponents, which was a nice bonus.
It was a fun night. I'm not sure how I'll top it. How about another 300 next week? Why not? This one has only taken 40-something years!
I started bowling at the wee age of four (way back in the early 70's) and have bowled on many leagues, on and off, since then. I'm not particularly a gifted athlete (an understatement), yet having started so young, bowling is one "sport" (okay, a game, really) that I'm pretty good at. I usually carry a league average of 205-210 and, many years ago, my dad taught me how to throw a pretty sweet hook (if I do say so myself). However, the one thing that has eluded me in that world was the Perfect Game. The old 300. 12 consecutive strikes. Three times I've come close (once during league, twice in practice), rolling two 290 games and a 289. To be honest, the 290 games, as close as the scores appear, weren't even close to being perfect games. In both of them, I rolled a 9 and a spare in the first frames, then — with no pressure of a potential 300 — rolled 11 consecutive strikes to finish those games. The 289, however, was very close. I had strikes lined up for 9 frames. Crushed the pocket the first ball of the 10th frame for my 10th in a row. The next ball, I left the ten pin, which I spared for a 289. My wife was the only witness to that one, so it wouldn't have been sanctioned. Not that she doesn't have the power to sanction things. Just not with the USBC.
Last night, before my weekly league (my team consists of my dad, stepmom sister and myself, dubbed "Lightning Strikes"), I told my wife and oldest daughter that I was going to roll a 700 series, a 300 game, or both. I've made similar claims before, but I honestly felt like it was going to be an "on" night for me. After a very slow start to the season in late September, things have finally started clicking. I'm using a new ball and learning what it can do (it plays down and in very well, even on heavy oil.) Two weeks ago, I rolled a 669 series, followed by a 662 series last week. I suffer from pain in my right hand (tendon damage, I believe), so I've had to modify my delivery a bit, which helps to alleviate the pain. Last night, I switched to that delivery exclusively during the third game (incidentally, my new delivery involves keeping my hand flat during the backswing, then quickly flexing my wrist and lifting on the release, as opposed to cupping my hand & wrist during the entire approach.)
I started the night with a 234 game, with 5 consecutive strikes out of the gate, which felt good. This season, my first game has usually been my lowest, so it was nice to start well. Game two was down a tad (217), but I managed to stay "clean" (no opens) for both games. I mentioned to my dad that I needed a 249 third game for a 700 series, about which I wasn't terribly optimistic. Fortunately, the lanes seemed remarkably consistent all night. The only adjustment I made, aside from modifying my delivery, was to move 1 board left during the 2nd game while still throwing over the 2nd arrow. The pocket felt big all night, but it grew even more during the third game. After my 5th consecutive strike, my dad stated that he would no longer talk to me (a common practice among bowlers en route to a potential perfect game, much like a pitcher throwing a no-hitter).
I was eager to get up and bowl as quickly as possible, feeling like I could lose my groove if I waited too long. In the 8th frame (I believe), the 7 and 10 pins taunted me, eventually falling to save me from a big split. When the 10th frame arrived, my nerves were kicking in. It took all my willpower to keep my head out of the game and let me body take over on auto-pilot. I was really grooving my swing and my delivery had been consistent. I obviously wanted to keep it that way to finish off the game. My first ball in the 10th hit light, leaving the 7 pin to wobble before being tripped by the 4. Ten in a row. My hands were just starting to sweat and shake a little and my mouth was getting dry. "Just two more, Colin. Just like all the rest." I couldn't look at my teammates or any of the others gathered behind the lane to cheer me on. I honestly don't remember what the second ball looked like, but the pins fell, thankfully. I remember clapping my hands together so hard that they stung. Before the third and final ball, I managed to block out the sights and sounds around me, although I was afraid that my nerves were going to affect my delivery. Four steps, release, POW. One of my most solid strikes of the game...and a very heavy and old monkey off of my back.
I also managed my lifetime high series (751) and a clean night (no opens). I'll be ordering my 300 ring next week. We also swept our opponents, which was a nice bonus.
It was a fun night. I'm not sure how I'll top it. How about another 300 next week? Why not? This one has only taken 40-something years!
 |
| Trying to do my job as anchor! |
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| Blurry. It's about how I felt after that last ball. |
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| Here's how the night played out. |
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| The Brunswick Mastermind Genius (the ball, not me.) Absolutely LOVE this ball, for obvious reasons. |
Monday, July 12, 2010
2 a.m. Brainstorm
I woke up at 2am this morning to a major "aha" realization (okay, and a full bladder). In previous posts about my heel injury, I've mentioned a muscle weakness on my right side (glutes, hip, quad) compared to my left side. While that may be contributing to the heel problem, it still didn't make much sense to me. Why would I be weaker on my "strong" side, since I'm right-handed and right-footed? Thanks to the middle-of-the-night wake-up call, I think I have the answer: bowling. For the last three years, I've bowled on a Thursday night men's league. My "finish" position, when I release the ball, is pretty exaggerated. I bend quite a bit at the knee and put a lot of weight on my left hip (and, to a lesser extent, on my left quad - see photo below). I'm reminded of this at the start of each season, when I haven't bowled for a few weeks. My left glute KILLS me for a few days, until I get used to bowling again. Multiply this "squat" by roughly 60 times a week, for 34 weeks each year, for three years and it only makes sense that my left side would be stronger than my right. During my rehab, I've been doing my single-leg squats and have been constantly surprised by how much stronger and stable my left leg/hip/glutes are. Now it makes sense! I essentially had a three year head start on 1-legged squats with my left leg!
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