Post-Collegiate

Israel, the various nations of western Europe, and a smattering of half a dozen States across the country on a trip that looks like a paint brush flicked at a map, I am finally settled down in Denver for a two-year stint with CoPIRG, a public advocacy non-profit, as a lobbyist for energy efficiency with a grassroots base.

The hours are fine, typically 8:30-5:30, but about once a week there's some press event, meeting, student outreach, or recruitment work that has me put in a 14 hour day or so. But most of that is made up of either long meetings or traveling around to the far corners of the State, so it's less work than just time to kill.

As I get back into shape, I have a few options around me. Amazingly, my apartment is literally across the street from the cherry creek trail, a 50+ mile path that wraps around Denver, following a river that the city was founded by. My apartment also has a pretty nice gym, which I've experimented with a few times to see how much weight I can put up after not lifting since...well, ever really. Turns out not that much. Surprise surprise.

By doing a lot of walking around while traveling I never really got to the point where I couldn't do any single run or workout that I was doing when I was in peak shape, I just can't do them consistently. I learned that the hard way, as I put in a track and tempo workout followed by lifting weights for muscles I previously didn't know I had - and promptly getting injured.

First, it was a shoulder. Then, I strained both calves trying to run 62s 400s after doing shit-all for three or four months. Now, it's my right hip flexor. Learning from my mistakes after making them three times over, I've decided that while it may not seem to me that 40 or 45 miles in the first few weeks is all that much, it's all I can do without re-injuring myself. So, the stationary bike it is and has been for a week or so now.

My hip flexor wasn't bothering me these last two days so I took a chance and did a moderate 7 miler tonight. It held up alright, starting to bother me a little after 30 minutes and really nipping at me with each stride in the last few minutes. It feels like a stubborn steel rod, refusing to give up and just bend as my leg gyroscopes around it like a nail caught in the in between two gears.


I'm thinking about taking a running hiatus. Just as soon as I get back into shape.


Now bear with me. I'm thinking I want to get into long-track speed skating. I'm 5280 feet up in a city built on winter sports and I have fat quads and a thin upper body. It might work. Also probably less competitive than running, so thats a benefit, albeit a selfish one.

And if it doesn't work out, well, I always have my running. My second home.