#BostonStrong Lake Chabot Run

  Many people across the country participated in local fatass runs Monday night in support of the Boston Marathon runners whose lives were lost or forever changed by the despicable acts on Patriots day one week ago.  I was unable to participate with my gO Runners, so I ran a solo effort at Anthony Chabot Regional Park.  Here are some pictures:

Lake Chabot

Lake Chabot

Trail down to the water's edge

#gO Strong

12' tall

Marina

One of many little fishing docks

Same dock, looking east

Most of this section that I ran was paved

Dam

Dam

Spillway

Standing on the dam

Trail above the dam

Mosquito viewpoint

Looking back on the marina

Island

Night Run

Went out for a 4 mile night run on the old Sierra College cross country course with the gOPro.  It was my first run since a rough 3 miler I had a few weeks ago.  It seemed to go well and I haven't felt bad since so maybe I'm turning a corner.  Anyways, here's the video (not too bad for the dark):

Health Update

The best thing I can say at this point is that I seem to be on the same path as Geoff Roes (without all the ultramarathon wins).  I was thinking the other day about my previous few days and how they're either good or bad days.  This reminded me of Geoff's quote from his Health Update on his blog:

"October has now come and gone, and still no running for me.  My health seems like it has continued to improve, but so slowly that at times I can't actually tell if I'm getting better, or if I'm just getting better at functioning at less than 100%.  The good days aren't so bad, but the bad days are still fairly regular, and are sometimes fairly difficult to deal with.  I've done my best through all of this to remain as upbeat, forward thinking, and positive as possible, but at times this has been quite hard to do."

Substitute December in for October for October and this is me right now.  In fact, the entire post resembles where I have been and currently stand (except my career doesn't depend on it so I will not go to the extremes that Geoff has to identify it).  Rather, I will rest and continue to strengthen my core and play the waiting game.  It does seem that I'm slowly getting better.  I guess time will tell.

Running with Casa - Episode 1

  I'll keep this one short because it basically features a couple of videos.  This was my first run since Thanksgiving over a month ago.

  I've been resting and doing some strength training on my upper body, hamstrings and shins.  The run went well, other than the nasty weather which you'll see.  I also noticed that it seemed much easier to keep my heart rate down in an aerobic zone, but that was expected after 4 weeks off.  The catch will be to see how my recovery gOes this week.  Two days after the run, my quads feel tight and fatigued so not much has changed.  The next doctor visit is Thursday and I hope we'll know more then.  Anyway, if a pictures is worth a thousand words, than a video must be worth $39.99 (I looked it up here).

If you watched the videos, you owe me $80.

Free time and nothing to do

  So, for those that may not know, I have been attending Sac State for about 3 years now working towards a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering.  It has been a family affair as my wife worked full time and held down the fort while I was off getting educated.  Often, even when I was home, my nose was buried in a book or paper.  My two youngest kids are learning that most dads don't go to school!  However, this Saturday December 15th, that chapter came to it's conclusion as I graduated with my degree.

Me with my folks

Younger sister

Only 3 of the 4 now attend school

The view from a grad seat

just like Babe Ruth

  Now it just remains to be seen if I can translate a degree into a stable, rewarding, and prosperous career.  Either way, I finally have my weeknights and weekends back to spend time with my family, help with household chores, watch TV, read, and various other hobbies.  A new chapter begins for the Casagrande family!

  The only trouble is my favorite hobby is still not possible.  Those that have been following my blog already know that I have been unable to run.  For those that are new, I trained for Tahoe Rim Trail 100 this summer and DNF'd for various reasons.  In the aftermath, I have visited the doctor and massage therapist with no concrete diagnosis or solution.  I know that I'm otherwise in good health, but whenever I run my heart rate is elevated, my quads feel fatigued all the time and it's nearly impossible to jog and stay in an aerobic zone.  It's been rough.

  With the semester ending, it was fairly easy to stay busy while not running.  I haven't run since Thanksgiving which is probably the longest break I have ever taken and I still feel fatigued (and antsy).  I had to sit by during lottery season as many runners signed up for Way To Cool and Western States lotteries as well as the local favorite American River 50.  I had hoped to run Lake Sonoma 50 this spring, but even if I got my health back today I woouldnt have time to properly recover and train.  I feel like I have SLOWLY been progressing though and all is not lost.  I still have time to get well and find redemption in Tahoe.

  I recently had a long discussion with my sister's boyfriend who is also a Personal Trainer in the Bay Area.  His thought was that I have weak secondary (running) muscles such as my hamstrings and shins (he called it something better that I can't recall now).  For many runners, this is managed by some form of cross training.  For others, it is unnecessary due to their active lifestyle.  For me, cross training consisted of my desk job and homework which was almost exclusively done online.  The human body was designed to run, move laterally, climb, jump, etc. and I had become one dimensional causing an imbalance.  In short, I was only using my quads and a few weeks before TRT100, they threw in the towel.  Even my active recovery running thereafter was creating problems as my hammies and shins were unable to keep up with my quads and calves.  So, because nothing else has worked so far, I am shelving running for two months in lieu of a specialized training circuit designed to re-strengthen my secondary leg muscles, core and upper body.  Hopefully this will allow for more rest on my major muscles while building up the others in time for a second half comeback in 2013!  If not, than it's back to the drawing board.

  In the meantime, I have ample free time and nothing to do.  Maybe I should try race course design!  

just kidding (maybe)