lakefront and more...

Saturday mid-morning:

K and I headed down to the lakefront on a very windy day out of the west to get in the 8 miler run for the day. After our well wishes to each other we parted our directions on how we were going to run the 4 mile out an back loop along the lakefront since the wind was so strong. I headed north for a half mile before turning around to head southward to the turn-around point just before Navy Pier. It really didn't matter which way you went beciause at a couple points the winds just about stopped me cold in my tracks...

I pushed on comfortably during the 8 mile run duration quite close to what the FIRST half program needed me to pace the run at near ~7:38 per mile. I completed the run in 1:01:21 for an aveage pace of 7:40 miles with an average HR of 146bpm and a max withing the last quarter mile at 155bpm. Mission accomplished for the run and now it's a true taper cycle till the Indy Mini half marathon next Saturday...

Once we got home I took a 30 minute ice bath...
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Back before I started running again in the summer of 2004 in late 2001 and the summer of 2002 I was diagnosed with 5 bulged/herniated discs in my spine...in the Lumbar region it's the L4 & L5 discs, in the Thoracic region it's the T6 and in the Cervical region it's the C4 & C5. The Doc's all stated they were not of the surgury requirement type because post-surgery scarring would out-weigh the benefits. It took me a couple years to adjust but by spring 2004 I was feeling healthy once again...

I mentioned that I have been running thru some health issues since mid-February this winter and it all stems from lower back "Sciatic Nerve" pain which has only worstened since then...running is quite painful at this point even as I mentally blocked it out during yesterdays 8 mile run. I used two icy/hot back pads on my lower back/glute region during this run in the form of an inverted V sign "/\" which masks the pain only so much...I have tried everything over the last two months such as lite core strength training, my yoga routines, stretches, ice baths, heating pads, etc...these are short term solutions at best. My glutes hammies, calves and heels of both legs besides my lower back at what are affected the most. These major running muscle groups never get a chance to recover hence when I run (or sit/walk) it always feels like any one of these major muscle groups are going to cramp/knot up at any point which affects my running stride length drastically...anyhow...

I'm confident that I can overcome this setback with proper treatment once again. I will be seeing a highly recommended Acupuncturist this Tuesday evening and I have a appointment with a running group friends Chiropractor as the Doctors are marathon runners also on May 5th...

The amazing part is I can tri-bike and swim with very minimal dis-comfort...

Sorry for the rant in my blog about the health issues I'm experiencing currently for the last several months but I thought I would bring that out into the open...

Thank you all for patience and understanding

Brian