Moving Forward with Trail Running

Erin has been through a lot with her shin injury in her quest to complete another half marathon. She has gone through the motions of icing and training properly, and for a while it looked like her shin would just not heal. Some days were worse than others, but all in all, Erin continued to push through the pain and seek out dirt roads, tracks, and trails to soften the blow on her legs.

Naturally, Erin has found herself being drawn more and more to trail running. The asphalt has been rough on the shin, and we have found that literally hundreds of miles of trails litter the mountains around the East Bay area. She has found a new way to expand her thirst for running and do so without taking a major hit on her shin.

Erin has officially purchased her first pair of trail running shoes and her training is moving forward beautifully. A couple races are still on the horizon and things are looking up. Her training is picking up and she is getting more excited. I have to admit I admire her drive and catch wait to congradulate her when she crosses the finish line again.

Progress Report for a Runner

The light at the end of the injury tunnel is bright and shining. Erin's path to recovery is well lit and she recently completed a 6+ mile run with no pain whatsoever. The future of running for her looks good and her training and schedule continues to improve.

Erin actually became the proud new owner of Aasics Gel Nimbus 12s and she could not be happier with the results of these new kicks. She had gotten a lot of miles out of the last pair of running shoes, but the Gel Nimbus 12s have truly helped in her road to recovery. They stay tied, give her amazing comfort and support, and provide the stability she needs to continue to recover from her shin injury. She has also really jumped into padded running socks that have provided even more comfort as she runs. Her new mentality is to keep running as much as possible on softer surfaces much like mountain trails and high school tracks. So far the plan is working and honestly it has opened new doors with trail running.





Erin and I are currently finding that the Bay Area is full of great running and hiking trails. For example, on Sunday we walked a great trail in the Joaquin Miller Park in Piedmont and really were very happy with what we found. The trail was absolutely beautiful and the trail was top notch. We will include our own personal quest to discover more great hiking and running trails as part of her training.

Just last night we were looking at upcoming races in the Bay Area and got excited with the prospects of many of them.

Here are some of the great races that are scheduled throughout the Bay Area over the next couple of months. The more and more Erin moves forward, the more October looks like a good return to the Half Marathon.

Injured Shin Appears To Be Healed

It has been a while since I have posted an update, but things are looking up in Erin's running world. It took a lot of persuasion, but I managed to get her to take a little time off to rest the injured shin. At first it looked like shin splints, then the symptoms were pointing more toward a micro-fracture... To be honest, we are not entirely sure either way. All we knew was that she was hurting and feeling uncomfortable for a while when she went for a run.

After the 5k at Wente in June, Erin decided to slow things way down in order to rest the shin and let it heal properly. I am happy to report that she is back to her running ways and completed a 4+ mile run with no pain and no discomfort. Honestly, it was a relief and proof that the rest was well worth it.

She is slowly building up her miles and it is apparent that she continues her quest to increase her running knowledge and strength as she moves forward. There is always the possibility that a run could jump on the calendar in July or the coming months, but all eyes are on October where the schedule fills up with big races and new challenges.

I have to send props out to Erin who is continuing to kick butt in her comeback from injury. Well done Love...

Great Day at Wente

We finished the Hook and Ladder at Wente Vineyards on Sunday and had a great time. There was a great turnout, the weather was perfect, the course was great, the spirits were high, and it was all for a great cause. All in all it was a wonderful time and despite the shin injury Erin was suffering we agreed that the race was a great success.

Now Erin's shin will get some much needed rest and she can slowly build back up her training schedule. Right now the next race on the calendar is not until October, but there is a chance that a race at the end of July will be added to her agenda. Whatever happens moving forward we had a great day on Sunday and got to celebrate our one year anniversary by enjoying a beautiful run that benefited fallen firefighters... not too shabby.

The Hook and Ladder is Finally Here

Finally the weekend of the Hook and Ladder is here. The injuries have changed the outlook on the weekend, but without a doubt things are still looking bright. When Erin first signed up to run this weekend, the thought was to use it as a stepping stone to bigger races down the road. She wanted to use the 10k as a determination as to where she was in her quest to lower her Half Marathon time from last year.

Erin's shins have still been a little uncomfortable and she determined that it was not worth it to go all out... and we instead are going to take it easy and walk the race. Luckily for us the weather is expected to be amazing.

I will definitely update next week with pictures and updates.

Stay Tuned... and keep on running.

Looking Forward to the Vineman Ironman

On a side note... I am stoked that just around the corner my younger brother will be competing in the Vineman Ironman race in Sonoma in July. He is going to come up and we are going to spend the day at the race cheering him on and watching him kick some major Ironman butt.

A New Outlook on the Hook and Ladder; Shin Injury UPDATE

It turns out that Erin's shin is still giving her problems and it is feared that what we first thought was shin splints could actually be a micro fracture. After the uncomfortable, and often times painful, feeling that came with the injured shin, Erin decided to do more research and get a second opinion.

Upon further review it was determined that her symptoms were very similar to those of a micro fracture and not that of shin splints. As a result she has decided that she will no longer treat the upcoming Hook and Ladder 10k Run in Livermore as a competitive race for time, and now will consider it simply a training day and an opportunity to enjoy a sunny day in Wine Country.

After much thought Erin has decided to walk the 10k (and possibly jog a little) and give her shin a much needed rest. She feels that running the race will only make the injury worse and will only set her back further in her training and her quest for the Volkslauf and a half marathon later this year. With that, I have decided to walk along side my wife and accompany her on Saturday June 6th.

The Hook and Ladder will be less of a competition and more of a one year wedding anniversary celebration. It will act as a milestone together and a stepping stone in our relationship and in her quest to dive further into the world of a runner.