Regeneration

The past month, due to compounding injuries ever since I doubly-stepped into that wretched hole on my training run for Boston, I have been in reflection and research, and I have come to the following conclusions.

However, before I get to my conclusions, here is summary of what's going on: once I pulled out of Boston, I took 12 days off to heal my injured peroneal tendon on my right foot. Once that pain subsided, I figured I still had a great base by the way I felt on my first run back from injury and decided to accelerate my training program (Cardinal Sin #1). So, I jumped into a 60-mile week of good intensity (Cardinal Sin #2). I should have listened to my inner voice telling me, like it always has, that I could not handle this much volume and intensity so soon. I am not a natural runner, thus it takes a lot of time for my body to strengthen and absorb the training.

Anyhow, this brought upon my compounded injury- a blown left abductor. I felt it coming on, but chose to focus on the treatment and healing of my foot (which had stopped me cold prior to Boston). Well, the abductor stopped me cold, as well. I had absolutely no lift or power on my left leg, thus no running.

I have been getting technological treatments from my health rock: Brother Herb Baker of Columbus High School, getting regular treatments of ultrasound, stim, stretching, massage, and everything else I can handle. However, my saviour has been my training partner, Armando Cruz. Perhaps the most intelligent and educator of my close knit of friends, Armando is selflessly dedicated to working on my weaknesses. I have been going to his house at 9:00pm at night to engage in punishing rehab for my hip flexor and abductor. I cannot share his secret techniques, but they are quite painful, yet intriguing. And yet, I am getting better.

Ah, my conlcusions: in my downtime, I do something I enjoy. I re-read my old training logs. And guess what I found out:

• Every April/May I am injured. It does not fail. Since 2001, I have either been injured or depressed or unmotivated. It does not fail. 2001, hip flexor. 2002, hamstring, etc. etc. etc.
• I have concluded that the 8 critical years of my life (high school and college) which laid the foundation of my training and running was cyclical in that the summer months of June-August was time to build mileage (slowly), August-November was Cross Country Training & Racing, Dec-Feb was Indoor Training (and usually this is when I set my personal bests), and March-May was Outdoor Track Racing in which I usually performed sub-par and began losing interest/motivation.

And, thus, ever since 2001, I have been injured in April and/or May. I believe that my body has been trained to "rest" during these months. I am going to start listening, because it is inevitable that I will become injured in these months until I build the strength to train through these months.

Anyhow, that has been my life the past month. Right now I am relegated to an 8-minute miler just getting in shape like everyone else. I look forward to a rejuvenated May of training and a great finish to 2006. We are not robots. We are not machines. We cannot go on forever at full-speed ahead.

I will continue working with Armando, and I look forward to developing strength, power, and explosion that I have neglected. This will set me in the right direction towards late 2007.

Press on, everyone. Press on..