Making The Best Of A Bad Situation

So - two weeks down in the boot - at least 2 more to go.  Then, probably another 4 to 6 before I'm back to running. 

As soon as I found out that I would be booted up, I took a day to wallow in self pity.  What the hell.  I've only had a few injuries that have required significant amounts of non-running time - far less than most runners who have been doing this as long I have.  So, I figured I was due at least a 24-hour period of laying around saying why or why did this have to happen to me.

But, I pretty quickly decided that it was then time to move forward.  And, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to find a way to achieve some general fitness goals.  For the last couple of years, I've notice some general lack in overall muscle strength and power, stride length and overall flexibility.

So, while I can't be running, I've added a whole host of exercises to my daily routine.  I'm getting in about an hour a day of workout in.

I've been starting with a series of dynamic flexibility drills.

Then, I move onto a routine (which varies pretty much every day) that involves some combination of core work, leg strength work, hip strength and flexibility and some light upper body work.

I then go directly onto the recumbent bike (my boot fits into the pedal straps) for 30 minutes or more of work.  This usually involves 5 to 10 minutes of warm-up at low resistance.  Then I'll do 20 to 25 minutes of some form of interval work.  I try to up the resistance during the hard sections (while always maintaining 90 rpm's) and trying to get my hard rate up into the mid 120's or low 130's (at a minimum).

Then, I finish up with some static stretching.

On top of that, I've been having 2 or 3 days a week where I have to put in 30 minutes of snow shoveling (per day).  And, I've had several days in the last 2 weeks where I've spent 60 to 90 minutes of splitting wood (which is now behind me since I have all the wood split).

It turns out that I've been able to get in quite a bit of work in spite of the added bulk of the boot. 

So, I'm hopeful that coming out the other side of this thing I'll have improved my overall weight to strength ratio; improved my overall flexibility; improved my knee stability through increased leg strenght; and, maintained some basic level of cardiovascular fitness.

Only time will tell; but, I'm feeling good that this time off running - and forced use of alternate training methods/opportunities - will set me up for a fitter, stronger Muddy Buzzard for 2012.

Until then, see you in the gym, on the machines and the mats

The Muddy Buzzard