Memorial Day weekend I noticed that I had difficulty running.  It began with stiffness in my left leg, which I credit to a particularly difficult road march.  Old boots caused severe blisters, which changed my gait.  This led to a stiffening of my iliotibial band, a strip of semi-tendonous tissue on the outside of the thigh.  I have had occasional pain in one knee or the other.  Generally I blame it on old shoes, or difficult leg workouts.  However, this knee ache was different.  Then it metastasized up my leg into my hip.

Shogun Marcus’ wife is a massage therapist.  She informed me that my ITB was tight enough to shoot arrows with, and that it was the likely culprit of my symptoms.  After almost two weeks with hardly a spot of cardio and no leg workouts, I am finally back to normal.  IT Band Syndrome is a common runner’s ailment, and with nothing more than ibuprofen and thorough stretching, I was able to rehab my leg.  My cardio does not seem to have fallen off much, but any time not going forward is time falling back.

Otherwise, things are plodding along.

I break up my workouts with “Feats of Strength”.  15-mile hikes in the heat.  Marathon sessions doing calisthenics.  This helps me to keep my morale up and breaks up the monotony of routine.

This morning I worked out at my old gym.  I worked out there for years, and I missed it very much.  I hadn’t touched a weight there in 5 years.  I stopped once, a year ago, to grapple at my old jiu jitsu school.  However, I didn’t have time to lift beforehand.

Last night I called an old training partner and made a plan to meet up with him for an upper body workout.  He complained through two hours of high-volume resistance training.  I could not move at my normal tempo, but I did my best to keep him focused and keep us moving.  I also ran into someone I played football with in high school.  He plays semi-pro now.  I finished my workout and we spent a few minutes catching up.

I rode through my hometown.  My high school looks nothing like it did when I went there.  The football field – a brutal patch of rocks and mud – has been replaced by a rubberized track, professional lights, and brand new sod.  It looks like a Division III college ball field.  I felt a pang of nostalgia.  It passed quickly, and I thought of how (emotionally) distant I am from that place, and that time in my life.

I ran for half an hour this afternoon.  I maintained a strong pace, increasing gradually to a gallop about half way.  I stretched thoroughly afterward and hopped on my bike for a warm-down ride (7.4 miles).  I have some minor aches, but my flexibility has improved significantly and I feel more positive and motivated tonight than I have in several weeks.

Side Note:  I ran into my old commander this morning.  He is retired now.  I thought it was an interesting coincidence.  We talked about my current “plan” and he gave me some thoughtful advice.  It was a very positive chat.