Thoughts and Great Weather

Why I'm sitting indoors on this sunny Sunday afternoon is due to the fact that my right hip has been bugging me all week.  I'm not sure exactly what it is but I think it's inflammation of a fluid-filled sack, called a bursa, just outside my hip.  For the past couple of weeks I haven't been stretching after my workouts like a should (and preach) and I've paid the price. I thought I was out of this cycle of injury but I should have been cautious and doing all my preventative interventions.  Fortunately, I don't think it's that bad as I can still run (unlike my ITB injuries) with it but I don't want to make it any worse.  So I'll just have to feel awful while a glorious day passes.  Why don't you just go cross-train or something?  Simply, I like being on the trails (and off). That's what my passion is and I might act like a spoiled baby but I'm not going to cross train. I use the bike for commuting and swimming is to useful if a shark is after me.  So I'll stay indoors, recovering, stretching, doing some core work, listen to some running podcasts, and pout.  My training week is now cut short and I'll have to make it up as soon as this thing lets up (very soon I hope).
I read an interesting thing on Lauren Fleshman's blog last night and she basically states that an athlete (something I'm coming to terms with) should think of themselves as a bicycle wheel and the spokes that maintain the integrity of the wheel are: nutrition, physical training, mental training, balance, competition, mental training, and recovery techniques.  These spokes can change but if one goes haywire or there is too much emphasis on one spoke, the wheel will start to breakdown.  So I have to admit my recovery technique spoke is busted up and I need to start paying more attention to it.  There is nothing like your passion instantly getting ripped away from you and only then (at least me) do you realize how important it is in giving it TLC to maintain good health; because this not only effects one's physical well-being but one's mental health and that one seems to be really needy.
My interest in Javalina Jundred will be determined this week by how my body reacts. If all goes well and I'm able to get a couple longer runs this weekend, injury free, I'll sign up for that hundo. If not, I'll give myself even more time to recover and look at a 50km or 50 miler.  Come on body, pull through!