Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Went running down Crow Creek behind Veedauwoo for the first time this year, and made no effort to try to keep my feet dry as I knew several low lying moist areas would be more like seas of slow moving water, which they were.

Quite oddly, I saw several great blue herons and a pair of campers dressed up like bow hunters or snipers, but with dogs that totally dispelled the camouflage effect. Also a stashed mountain bike with trailer.

But actually, it wasn't those things that were odd. What was odd was that about 20 minutes from being done, I started getting a stitch, though instead of the usual side stitch, this was exactly the same except it was in my upper back, slightly off to one side. I'd never had a back stitch before, but couldn't think of any reason why it couldn't be possible, and, like I said, it felt exactly like a side stitch feels.

Usually after you become aware of a side stitch, you think about it for a little bit, and then some more time passes and you stop thinking about it so much, until at some point you realize it's disappeared.

But that's not what happened this time--if anything, it got more intense, and it was still with me when I finished up. And it was still there even after I stopped and was driving home. By which time it was gradually occurring to me this wasn't a back stitch, but a pulled muscle. Which seemed incredible to me--how can you pull a back muscle when you're not doing anything but just jogging along? I mean, if I had been lifting cowgirls or 100 lb bags of bagels, you could understand it. But just jogging along?

For a while I was thinking it had to be blamed on bad voodoo. These days bad voodoo doesn't get near the respect it should. Lots of people wonder how in the world could Trump possibly be the Republican Presidential nominee (I know, I know, "presumptive") and the answer is obvious: bad voodoo.

After pondering the possibility for a while though, I came to a different conclusion. This was much more likely to be a very minor sympathy back injury in honor of those stalwarts--Boris, Charlie, and Peter--who have been brought low one or more times in the recent past by debilitating back injuries. So I just figure I'm in good company.

Still, pulling an upper back muscle while you're just jogging along? What could be next? Tearing a rotator cuff while lying prone and motionless on a sofa? Spraining an ankle while you're sitting down and putting on a sock? Developing carpal tunnel syndrome while setting a compass bearing? Mercy!

C • I'm sure you've considered this 6

Streamered out at Pitcher Hill for the One Cowboy Relay. Or maybe it's the One Cowgirl Relay--I can't remember which it is now. Well, it will be a one person relay either way, and that's for sure.

After having used Pitcher Hill and been entirely happy with the mapping, after having streamered one control and then going on to the next control, I didn't quite like the relationship between the 2 features, and made a note to slightly move one of the features on my master file (won't affect what runners get here because we're using existing paper stock). And while I was examining that relationship in the field, I went to a nearby "boulder field"--marked with a single black triangle. It seemed kind of marginal, but there were rocks there, in about the right spot, so good enough.

Except that when I was looking at the file at home with the map enlarged, I saw the boulder field symbol was actually a mine shaft (black "v") on the map, and I definitely didn't see any mine shaft out there--nor can I imagine one being there in that particular spot. Must have been a drafting mistake, and it's just funny that I never caught it until now, because it's in an area I've run through many times, and there are only several black features on the map in that area.

Biked late in the day, after a storm dropped rain and hail; the temps never rebounded so biking was on the chilly side, even with a medium weight jacket that works perfectly fine on cold ski days.

Finished streamering at Devils Claw. Lots of snow fields remain in the terrain, and I left footprints across as many as I could. Not too many flowers were up there yet, but it won't be long before lupines burst forth in blooming happiness.

At the last possible moment, after I had streamered the last control left and I had already started back for the truck, something made me stop, glance at the map again, and turn back around to add one more control before the final control. I don't know really what came over me, but resistance was futile.

Legs were still quite stiff, about the same as last time. Perhaps they would enjoy some mild breezes. As it was, by the time the sun was going down it was getting chilly quickly on my hands.

Biked, rested from running.

Gates remain closed so ran out to Devil's Claw (and back) to begin streamering the course there. "Begin" was the operative word because my slow pace plus the run in and back meant I could only get to 2 controls in the allotted time. Sometimes progress is modest; other times it is minuscule.

Legs were surprisingly sore and stiff from 2 days ago, and less surprisingly my right side was not doing well by the end. Will need to make another offering to the Running Gods later on tonight.

C • slow pace 12