The Ever-changing Rock Creek Park

Beautiful morning for a walk through Rock Creek.  There were several moments this morning, and again in the afternoon, where I could not for the life of me recognize which trail I was walking.  With yellow leaves covering the once familiar stones and roots, and sparser trees exposing surrounding terrain, I actually managed to get lost out there.

Snapped the above photo of a plaque on an otherwise non-descript boulder near the top of the western ridge of the park.  I wandered past it into a strange depression surrounded by earthen mounds and then trenches.  Upon investigation, I realize that what I observed was likely the core of a Union stronghold, where large artillery was stationed during the Civil War.  I don't know that I've ever witnessed an historic site (I'll limit this statement to American historic sites) so candidly and be able to sense the proximity of that era.  I think the feeling had something to do with how concealed the site is, in that you'd really have to be looking for it or be a runner or hiker or otherwise just stumble upon it like I did, to find it.  Independence Hall, Mt. Vernon, etc. just seem so washed up and fairy tale to relate to.

So, I guess a 40 min walk this morning and again this afternoon make it an "easy" day.  Leg continues to improve, although the few times I broke into a jog I couldn't sustain it without discomfort, so it's not quite there yet. Strange thing about this injury is that the exact same thing happened to my left leg (the most representative description of what I think is going on is here) and I somehow made it through a marathon with it.  I guess it couldn't have been as severe, or maybe I was more hell bent on meeting my goal.  After Grandma's in June, three weeks of downtime building up to light mileage was enough for it to pass.  I'm hoping the same will be true with the right leg.  

I have a lot of thoughts about why I've been afflicted with this particular injury, and they end up mostly in the opinion that it's part of a growth process.  Building up to Grandma's and more so to MCM, I've learned a ton about running, particularly running form, and as I've adjusted over the past year my body has had to cope with it accordingly.  The article linked above suggests a stress reaction in the tibia, one that I think slight adjustments (improvements) in my form, such as might be informed by the barefoot drills I've been doing, could potentially cause.  The good thing about stress reactions is that the healing process eventually catches up, and you wind up stronger than before.

Yesterday I spent some time at the gym in the morning and again in the afternoon.  Morning featured some weights and 20 minutes of brisk walking at maximum incline on the treadmill.  Evening was only the latter.  Treadmill at max incline is quite challenging actually, to my surprise.  

As I'm now solidly into a rebuilding period with no definite goals for the next year or more, I'm in no hurry to get back to the level at which I was training over the summer.  Base training for me has coincided with strength training (body weight exercises, yoga,  as well as lifting free weights) in the past, and this will be a theme for the remainder of the year.  I'll be looking to establish a sustainable routine, hopefully featuring a healthy dose of running, and perhaps entertaining the idea of focusing on some shorter races.  Time will tell.