I'm Here

Yes I made it to Costa Rica....
Wonderful B Fast this AM and now to the rain..

Gotta get to work.

Bumper Sticker of the Day

"Those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours"

I saw this sticker downtown in Flagstaff yesterday. I am a firm believer in the power of attraction, so this meant something to me. I have not seen the movie "The Secret" but I believe it has something to do with this. Throughout my years of life I have ran across many opportunities to join these people in abandoning my dreams. These sentiments come in many forms. "Good luck" in a cynical tone of voice is one of my least favorites. However, it often works as a motivation for me. I'm sure I share this trait with many people, I know my children are in the same boat...when told I can not do something or are incapable of achieving a task, this only makes me want it more.

There are so many ways to remind ones self of what it is you want. My mom bought me this little piece for manifestation one year for my birthday. It is a small praying, or thinking figure with a bowl in it's lap. The directions on this little figure said to think of what you want, write it down on paper, or come up with something that reminds you of this desire... next, you are to put that in the lap of this figure. Pray on it, think about it, look at it, whatever you believe...upon waking and at bed time. I put a business card of a particular job I really wanted in the lap, thought of it a bunch and "poof" I got that job.

But it is not magic, you can use what works for you, church, nature, incense, books on achieving, journal, hitting the streets, whatever you call it...to quote the great waffle makers "Just Do It"..(sorry I had to) That's it. Find what you want and make it so.

Now days I don't use the little figure as much, I do use the concept. I write it, I draw it, however crude it may be.... I 'put it out there', I think and talk about it. No, I do not have all I want, I don't even know what that is yet, but when I think of it, I will work on it.

I was just reminded of my grandma or mom saying "God helps those who help themselves" (and in that tone) a great life lesson in a few words. Picard on Star Trek says "Make it so"... some one said "ask and you shall receive"... to sum this up I'd like to remind you again of that sticker. "Those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours" don't let this happen to you, work hard for it.... be it sport, career, travel, children, addiction recovery, blah, blah, blah...okay enough Tony Robbins for one morning! There is a small group of people from Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa who can prove this theory to be true...

I realize I need to take a writing class, it's on the list. Until next time...my best to you, and I mean it. Best wishes to you....

Did you hear that chicken?

In one week I will be headed south to the wonderful land of Costa Rica. When I was there last year there were a few chickens that had their clocks all screwed up. At around 2:30 am these two roosters would start calling each other like some kind of lost kittens of the jungle! And these are not the storybook roosters that you read about in "Mr. Brown can moo, can you?", no, no, no, these chickens are deep in the wild, they are untamed by humans, and I can only imagine what they must look like. Their call is somewhat like the overlaid sounds of fingernails on a chalkboard, and the guy with tuberculosis coughing behind the Fred Meyer's in Portland who I used to take salads to after closing the deli I worked at.

None the less, I can not wait for our trip. This year is to be less of a party, and more of a ...shall we say...educational experience. Erik Dalton and Tom Meyers. Two of the best Rolfers/bodyworkers in the industry. If you are a bodyworker yourself, you need to check out their work. They are both great authors, reading their thoughts on paper is enough to get me going like a 13 year old girl at a New Kids On The Block concert. No, it's more like an old slow and progressive song from a band like DM Fits, or HOLS where you kinda work the outside then gradually get down there in the middle and get it all going, and it is all working very nice together. Alright, I digress. (been doing that a lot this morning) oops..

Anyway, check it out, and I'll stay away from the chickens this year!

Good Job All!

Congratulations to all the athletes who have done so well lately. You guys are my inspiration, "you are wind beneath my wings", to quote the great Bette Midler!

• Fam
• Eric
• Chris
• Reid
• Jill
• Kirsten
• Kyle
• Colin
• Jordan
  
• Natasha
• Andy
• Cal
• Simon
• Bill
• Lisa
  
• Mike
• Marten
• AP
• Pieter
• Lauren

And anyone else I missed. You are all great and thank you for everything, I'll try to stay on top of the results. You are all just too great!

Healing

Well it is now Thursday. It has been around 80 hours since I hiked out of the canyon. Big deal?, well it has been a great re-learning experience for me. In the first days, Monday and Tuesday, I could hardly walk. This felt like soft tissue damage/inflammation. The main soreness was coming from my calves with some residual soreness in my quads.

The calf pain was primarily from the eccentric contractions of going downhill. The secondary cause of pain was getting back out, which was no small feat for me.
Eccentric calf pain from going downhill works like this.

1. You extend your toes to get proper foot placement. When this is done the soleus muscle(1) and the gastrocnemius muscle(2) contract-shorten.
2. You put said toes/foot right where you want it, so as not to fall. It just so happens there are a lot of mules that go up and down this same trail, they dig big holes in the trail.
   
3. Now with foot all good, you put all your weight on this foot, calf contracted, and lengthen that muscle while it tries to stabilize.
   
4. Repeat around 1,500 times.
   
5. Calf soreness.
   

The only area I had any concern over was my right sacrotuberous ligament. With pelvic misalignment there was a unilateral joint pain. I favor my right side, I am strongest on my right side, and it may be that when stepping required a stronger hold, I overused my right foot/leg/hip. I had a massage on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesdays massage was a great flush (all I could handle) and some much needed stretching. Rosa did a bit of gentle movement of the sacrum across it's oblique axis and really freed things up. On Wednesday I asked Shawn to check that ligament, he did a bit of cross fiber on it and today the "joint pain" is gone. 100% Tuesday night and Wednesday night I had the best foot therapist in town stay the night at my house and work my feet over until I fell asleep. She's the best, thanks Missy!!!

Keeping moving, hydration, and getting good food into my system has played a key role in this recovery I feel. For a day I thought I made a real mistake. But today it was all worth it and more.

First Time in The Hole

What A trip! Not advisable off the couch. At approximately 32 hours after completing this trip and having eaten a big shredded beef burrito, I do not walk well. No major injury I know of yet, a lot of soleus pain and muscle soreness in quads and minimal hamstring damage. But the calves, oh my lordy lordy. OK, some sacraltuberous ligament pain, but what can I expect. I hope I can walk through the airport in ten days! No sweat, they have those fancy golf carts zipping around.

Why'd ya do it like that?

Well yes, good point. As a therapist working with many of today's top athletes, I wanted to experience again this pain and discomfort that so many of my clients present with. I do a few light jogs around the block every year or two, but nothing of this magnitude.

My man Chris, that drugged me and took me in the canyon, does this trip many times over in a year. This was his fourth time in the canyon in April, Today is the 17th. The day previous to this trip he did a 4.5 hr run in "the hole". Chris started at the South Rim, ran to Phantom Ranch and back to the South Rim. 4.5 hours. That's around 5,000 ft downhill over 12 miles or so, then back up 5,000 ft and the same mileage. When I did the deal, I ran 57 minutes down to Indian Gardens, that's 3,000 ft down hill and however many miles. Duh- next I will walk more.

Chris did the 7 hours with me because he did not want me to die in the canyon. Thanks Chris. This is, however, not advisable. I say this to protect my readers. Not off the couch. I know many people who are of the fitness level to allow this, most of the running clients I work with. Not me, I am alive, but the muscles would be happier had I taken a few extra jogabouts. All and all it was a great trip. I am learning about the body, pain, and saw many wondrous things. Until next time.....

A day at the park

4-14-07

A Runner's High in Flagstaff hosted a great clinic for athletes in training on Saturday. The group was composed of local athletes training for 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon. Stay Tuned Therapeutics was there, along with Phil Wharton, to provide guidance in flexibility training, and give encouragement to these runners as they embark on this journey.

First thing we did was get these folks on the ground, unload the gravity, and teach some flexibility. We went to Wheeler Park and had 70 people spread out and lay down. We taught a simple 10 minute routine in opening up the hip flexors and hip extensors. We turned on the glutes and opened the lateral hip, and addressed the springing system with-in the feet. Threw in a little spinal rotation and side bending for the Thorax and Lumbar spine and off they went.

After their run, and back at the store we stretched the runners and provided a bit of various recovery techniques on an individual basis. I taught some simple foam roller techniques for balance and maintenance, pointed out some postural dysfunctions, and met some great people.

Mike Friedberg was helping people get the right shoes on their feet, Phil turned people into Gumby and sold some books, and together we got em geared up for their success in running. Way to go team!

Nationals for Missy

Today Missy is sitting for her NCETMB. When she takes the test and passes she will be nationally certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork. She has been studying for weeks, raising our chitlins and working full time. She never stops, sometimes I say I wish I had the mammory glands so I could sit around at night and just feed a baby. I take it all back, not that it has been granted or anything. Missy is one of the hardest working women I know! No we are not fighting, nor am I trying to cover my butt. Just stating facts.

The workings of a small business and raising a family is hard, many of you know this. It comes back to us however, I do believe we get out of life what we put into it. We have highs and lows in life, good times and bad times. If we can look at the bad times as learning experiences, we are two steps ahead of the game.

We all know this.

UPDATE....
Missy Passed with flying colors!! I had no doubt.