Bette Davis Eyes, Johnny Drama Calfs

April 28th, 2009 Posted in Story, Training

She’ll tease you
She’ll unease you
Just to please you
She’s got Bette Davis eyes

Kim Carnes might have been referring to the Western trail when she groaned out this classic in 1981. But we’re not talking eyes today, we’re talking calfs - Johnny Drama Calfs……

Chugga, chugga, whoo, whoo! The Diesel has chugged up the hill and is rounding the corner on a track heading for Squaw Valley. Phase Deux concluded three weeks ago, coinciding with my return from the left coast and Tour de Western. Phase One was designed to build a strong base over 12 weeks. I averaged 51 miles of running per week and a total of 65 “running equivalents” per week - adding in cycling, lifting and yoga.

Phase Deux was devised to increase strength and endurance by increasing running mileage, especially on tougher terrain and adding in more hills and back-to-back long runs. This 12 week phase ended with logging 300 miles over three weeks on the Western course - including a 50K and 50M race. My peak running week was 91 miles. The Diesel wheels were smokin’ and I was burning up the oil. I was able to manage escaping injury up until the last day, when I ran the American River 50 miler and twisted my left ankle 90 degrees 41 miles into the run. The residual impact wasn’t felt fully until this past weekend. Since AR50 I’ve been able to keep running, albeit more delicately, but the combination of running the Don’t Run Boston 50K ten days ago and running a tempo long run this past Saturday, the Achilles heel on the left foot finally had enough and swelled up on me.

So as I enter my 4th of 12 weeks in the third and final phase of training, I’m reminded of this phase’s goal: maintain, peak and stay healthy. The injury has caused me to reconsider my preparations and adjust my Phase 3 plan slightly - which, I believe, is all for the good. I’m planning to give the heel plenty of TLC and time to recover so as not to aggravate or drag the injury closer and closer to Western. Being as healthy as I can possibly on race day is far more important than being at the absolute pinnacle of fitness. So I will be switching to a heavy emphasis on cycling - increasing my time in the saddle on my Tacx trainer by +80% or more and avoid running for two weeks. I’ll maintain my cardio and quad strength and meantime will be adding supplemental calf and foot strengthening exercises to my lifting regime to make sure as the foot/ankle recovers, I surround it with strong and stable muscles.

I’m getting aggressive physical therapy from Andrew Rizza, our high school’s ATC and my go-to guy (as he was for both Patrick and Drew) for any and all sports injuries. He is using a brand new technology on my feet and heel that used highly compressed air to blast away at the injury, peeling back scar tissue while accelerating healing - it already appears to be having a dramatic positive impact on the heel.

Frankly, my calfs have been a weakness of mine in the past so this is a great excuse to give them the attention they deserve. I’m going for broke - I want Johnny Drama calfs!

He’ll pump them
He’ll jump them
Just to thump you
He’s got big honkin’ Johnny Drama calfs