I’ve never been to physical therapy, so was open to its potential when suggested by the physician’s assistant who listened to my leg complaints. However, this has gone out the window given my insurance’s non-coverage until I hit a $1000 deductible; I cannot see paying $100 a visit to get to that level.

I’m fortunate to have employer provided insurance, which even with this is better than many follks have, but am really recognizing how great was the coverage under my previous employer (a very large organization). Ahhh the land of inequity, that’s what makes us prosper, eh?

So its on to Plan B- work my own therapy, rest, stretches, ice, some suggestions from Team D Coach Dave, find a lucky rabbits foot, whatever.

Did you know... "Menachem Begin, Israeli prime minister was diabetic" (from Diabetes Health Magazine)
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While not running, I can watch movies about running.

Without Limits (1998) highlights the running years of legendary Steve Prefontaine, his tug of war with Oregon running coach Bill Bowerman (pioneer of Nike’s shoes). Pre would run with all abandon, refused to use strategies of drafting, and had his own internal drives for going that fast. Tragically he died in a car crash, still a mystery as to the cause, as he had decided to run in the 1976 Olympics.

In the movie, oddly enough, actor Jeremy Sisto plays the part of Frank Shorter, while Shorter himself plays the part of Fred Long.

There’s not been much to write about running-wise. After the 6 miler on Dec 16, my shins have gotten even worse– previously it would dissipate with a few days of ice, rest, etc. Not this time, and it’s even sore to walk on.

I returned to my doctor’s office, and they are recommending I do a few weeks of physical therapy, and reading between the lines, they think I should not run on January 14. I’m going to rest, stretch, ice, and make a call on January 13; hopefully at a minimum I can walk the half marathon.

There are not too many words to write about how disappointed I am that the whole traing fell apart back in October– I was feeling strong going into the month. Yes, I know injuries are part of it all, but I’m pretty down on the whole thing. And yes, more like I am leaning to I Hate Running.

Between shin splints and work travel, I have had a long absence from the Team Diabetes Saturday runs and Wednesday Track runs. Today I finally got back in synch today with a run on the Scottsdale Greenbelt, conveniently located near my house. To team-mates, sorry for being not much of a participant, but I am running this half marathon if I have to walk on my knuckles.

Today was ratehr different in thatw e ran for time not distance, in order to allow us to (a) have a holiday breakfast together; and (b) hear from coach Dave the tips for prepping for race day. Last year I missed this run, which I recall was extremely cold (32 degrees, and people were slipping on ice), but while nippy this morning, it was pleasant.

So we all ran south on the trail, down Hayden and getting onto a part of my regular running loops south of Indian Bend road– we were to run 35 minutes, turn around, and head back. I did a fairly good pace on the way out, but that #^@&-ing shin started whining, and even the falf musclses joined in the Greek Pain Chorous. I was not giving in, yes I know you are not supposed to run on sore legs, but it seems like rest has not done anything, and this is just going to be the way my legs behave.

So I got in about 6 miles.

It is just short of a month to the day of the run! Wow. Training ramps up to its peak with our 12 mile long training run this week (we get to choose Wednesday or Saturday; since I am out of town this weekend, I’ll be chugging the 12 on Wednesday), and then we have a tail off to shorter, easer runs for the rest of the training schedule.

My plan is tom run as many as I can, but more or less, try also to give the sore legs the extra rest as needed. I’m hoping I can squeeze 2 more long runs out of them (12 and 13.1 miles), and I will be happy.

So it’s another week, another plane trip, another visit to another city. This week I aim in Austin, where our organization is running a conference. Mid December, what a deardful time of year for professional gatherings! Everyone is busy wrapping up things or aiming to the holidays. But our conference is going quite well.

When I was here in the spring of this year, I got some good runs on the river trails, but I need to do the runs so early, that it is pitch dark outside, so i give the fitness center a try. What is it with big hotels that onbly put 3 treadmills in a center but like 9 step machines? I mever got luck this week getting a treadmil, and did my best on the step trainer to get some heart pumping 30 minute aerobic workouts. At least it saves on the shin wear. I just estimate the equivalent miles.

The graph of my weekly training miles had starting looking like it had flat-lined, but today, grabbing the paddles and dialing up the voltage (ok, have been watching too much E.R.) I hopefully have registered a pulse.

With some nagging pain still in my shins (and sometimes calf muscles), my left leg last week started to feel ready. While traveling for work in San Francisco, on Friday I did 30 minutes on the tradmill. It ached mildly afterward. This Saturday was a scheduled 10 mile Team-D training run, but I had previoulsy commited to another group short hike. So today. I strapped on the shoes and set out for my own local 10 mile loop, which is about 6 miles north up the canals, east to Pima, back south to my house, then another partial second loop to the 2 mile point and back for 10.

The first loop was great, and I hit the 6 miles at a faster pace than I had ever run the loop. Maybe there is something to be said for rest? All in all, the run was one of the bext ever. And despite the lapses in training, at this point last year, I had just hit the 10 mile level for the first time, while this time around, today was number 4 (three training runs of 10 plus the ill-fated Payson half Marathon in October).

Next week will be a challenge, another work trip to Austin with a heavy schedule around our organization’s conference, and in another week and a half, we have our Team-D long run (12 miles).

The next 7 days through havoc at what remnants I have of a training schedule. Yesterday, I arrived in San Francisco for two days of meetings. It’s a lovely spot here in Union Square at the Grand Hyatt, yet I will likely see almost nothing of its exterior, and after today’s meetings, I am heading right to the airport to go home.

But there is a fitness here, perched on the 35th floor, and I tried this morning to take some first plunges back into running and see how the shins responded. Last time I was here even at 6:00 AM there was a line for the 3 treadmills, but today I was lucky and got an open one.

So I got a paltry 20 minutes in, as it has really been about 2 weeks since I did anything, I wanted it to be easy. So it was okay, but the shin stiffness was right there afterwards. Not so promising.