When societies’ natural boundaries are broken, and the privacy which we so closely bear is abolished, why do we beg for more?
This blog, and the others whom reel off it, were a project of serenity; An effort towards releasing an inward bound sense of containment. In short, it was a project to release my own tension.
Yet now I find myself hopelessly lost in my thoughts. Lost in my training. Lost in my direction of recovery. And lost in the pursuit of adequacy.
For the better part of this summer, I have battled compartment syndrome. The America Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons defines compartment syndrome as: “…a painful condition that results when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. This prevents nourishment from reaching nerve and muscle cells.”
I have suffered this injury in the same leg in the Spring of 2007. Then in the opposite leg in the late summer of 2007. It then reappeared in the left leg in the spring of 2008. Then in the beginning of this summer, it re-appeared in the right leg. I have never had it in both legs simultaneously.
The exact cause, or precipitating reason behind this is largely attributable to my tendency to run distance. 10 miles, 4-5 times per week, followed by a weekly long run somewhere over 13 miles in length. Distance alone does not create such an ailment, but failure to prepare for such a volume does.
Today marks the beginning of a long string of rest days, coupled with anti-inflammatories that will hopefully reduce swelling and pain. Yesterday’s incidental rail road track disaster ended my cycling ability for some time ( I dented my rear wheel. Joy)
Nonetheless, my training has been adequate to prepare for a late summer/early fall 70.3 distance triathlon. Two distance swims exceeding 40 minutes in length, three (3) rides exceeding 3 hours in length. And scores of long runs exceeding the half-marathon distance in this same season.
Since Boston, my training has been voluminous; Totaling roughly 161 hours, 20 minutes. Nearly seven days of consecutive aerobic activity in water, on land, and on wheels.
As it is today, I plan to rest five days, with the implementation of core training.
Kindly tolerate my writitng.
