Dumb Dumb's R Us

I should have known better. Everything has been going far too well. With less than two weeks left in my challenge I found a way to truly achieve idiot status. I got the flu last week, and yesterday severly tweaked my neck. What's the absolute worse thing one can do training? Yeah, get injured. Nice work Micahman.

So what to do? Giving up is an option. Nah, everyone's doing that. Change my challenge date? That sounds like giving up to me. Oh I know. Continue according to plan and do what I can over the next few days to rehab my neck as far as possible. That's the one.

Two days of rest and restoration will have to be enough. March is approaching and the weather is looking good. Speaking of which, I need all your help Saturday night. Part of this challenge is to feed 27 people a proper meal. This will take place at my house (550 Miramonte Dr in Santa Barbara) at around 6pm. Please come by and help me out with your hungry belly. Bring some drinks if your into that sort of thing.

2/18

Barefoot neighborhood walk, Restorative postures

Bouldering at Lizards Mouth

-worked out circuits in femme Fatale and Sunset Boulevard

2/19

Sun Salutations, Restorative Postures

1 mile in the pool

-800 freestyle

-8x50 dolphin kick drills on 2 minute intervals

-2x200 freestyle

Stroke really coming together. Actually caught up with someone.

Pecan Crusted Turkey Tenderloin, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary Butter, Warm Radicchio Salad

Late night hike to secret hot springs with Bridget

-Started to feel a little weird tonight. Low energy, a little sick to my stomach. Probably just overdoing it a bit.

2/20

90 minutes of yoga including 20 minute headstand

Started to feel real sick today. I don't like admitting that I'm sick. First of all its a shot to my health guru ego, and more importantly, admitting to sickness is a giving into sickness. You know, mind over matter and all that new age "stuff". By the end of the evening I was in the thick of it. Unable to stay warm, rainbow collard phlegm, weak and achey.... the flu. Love it.

2/21

Slept terribly last night. I woke up at 4am and had to take a bath just to get warm. Got back in bed in alpine gear and slept fittfully, but warm till morning.

Restorative Postures (felt like I had never done yoga before)

Whenever I get sick, I crave spice. Mexican food always sounds good. The problem is Mexican food provides many other things that are definitely not good for one's immune system. Shitty oils, lots of cream, and little to no vegetable matter (most of the time). I want Authentico/Hippie fusion! We settled on Los Arroyos. I hate this place for the most part. Mainly this is due to the unbelievable amount of press they get for their mediocre food. However, they do have a nice salsa bar (which was my main craving at this point). As usual, the food was about a 5 and the clientele was dressed to impress.

As the day progressed my body started to take control of its situation and I began to gain some more energy/heat/strength. Knowing that I would be spending the entire weekend at Bridget's ranch (where I would not be climbing) I forced myself to go do some laps at the shed. Surprisingly I felt quite strong, although I hit the wall after about 2 hours. Campused a bit and got on lap routes.

2/22 - 2/24
Bridget and I left for her families ranch on Friday morning. Not much training this weekend other than some yoga and some light hikes. I had originally hoped to hit it hard the week preceding and then rest up at the ranch for my final push to the challenge, but the flu put a wrench in that wheel.

Well, life goes on, and turns out there's more to life than training :-)

Nestled in the mountains 9 miles off the coast of Big Sur lies 400 acres of pure wilderness heaven. 100 ft pines with football sized cones, wild horses, deer everywhere, golden eagles, raging rivers, mountain lions (there's tracks all over the property), perfect coldwater sandstone and granite (covered in moss currently), and one small modest house. The good life.

Highlights:

-Maggie (one of Bridget's 3 dogs) pooping in the car on the way up there.

-Cooking for myself and someone special with no pressure or time restraints for the first time in a while.

-Meeting and feeding a dozen or so wild horses.

-Exploring only a fraction of the 400 acres (in the rain) and discovering some of the magic.

-Hot showers afterwards.

-Playing the piano for the first time in a while.

-Almost not making it out because of the storm that pounded us all weekend.

2/25

1 mile in the pool (still coughing up phlegm and not able to breathe well)

-100 freestyle

-200 freestyle

-400 freestyle

-400 breaststroke

-2x200 freestyle

-6x15 freedives with 3 breaths resting

2/26

90 minutes of yoga including 15 minute headstand

The sun was out and I was tempted to hit the boulders, but it had rained hard only 72 hours prior, so I made the drive to Vertical Heaven. My plan was to do a high volume day of stuff in the 5.10-5.11 range (V0-V2). As I warmed up I noticed that I still felt a bit weak from my flu and my body wasn't wanting to work hard at all. I went up and down some easy stuff and then got motivated by a 5.12 in the cave. I decided to boulder up a bit of it and down climb something easy next to it. After 3 fairly powerful dead points I went for yet another big move hit the hold strong, caught my momentum and crack, crack, tweak tweak, ouch, ouch, goes my upper right back area (all climbers know this zone: where the traps, back of shoulder, rhomboids, and upper lats meet up under the scapula). It's happened to me a dozen times climbing, practicing yoga, and even using the toilet (no joke). Instant stiff neck. I wanted to cry. I was able to loosen the musculature up with some opposing motions and finished off some more routes with the hope that the continued motion would help relax the area. In the end I topped out a dozen routes.

Returned home that evening and with the help of my girl made my athentico/hippie Mexican dinner a reality:

Adobado Tempeh, Black Beans, Sauteed Eggplant and Peppers broiled with Jack Cheese, Homemade Pico de Gallo, Homemade Hot Red Salsa, Guacamole with Sprouted Wheat Tortillas.

2/27

Real simple Restorative work on shoulders and back.

Pranayama

After a very deep massage from the lovely Bridget the night preceding and some proper restorative work, my neck is probably back to about 50%. Usually when I tweak it like this it takes about a week to get back to 100%. I've got 2 days. Shit.