Glass Harp Concert

Tonight my parents, my brother Brian and I drove to Youngstown to see Glass Harp play at the DeYor Auditorium. Glass Harp was a popular Youngstown group in the 70s and features lead guitarist Phil Keaggy, who is ranked in the top 25 guitarists in the world! Urban legend has it that Jimi Hendrix cited Phil as the greatest guitarist in the world. Below are some videos from the concert.

Towpath & Oil Creek 50K Signup

After work today, I drove over to the Boston Store and ran 4 miles on the Towpath between Mile 21-23. I felt pretty out of breath and my Achilles tendon was a little tight.


Today I also signed up for the Oil Creek 50K in October. I've only run in the park once and loved the scenery and views! Last year I went to watch my brother and sister run the 50-miler and 50K, respectively. I am really looking to taking part in the race this year! Tom Jennings, the race director, does a great job running the race and everyone seemed to have a great time.

Back Running Again!

Last Saturday, I ran for the first time since I sprained my ankle exactly 3 weeks ago. I asked Dr. Shah on Vertical Runner's message board for advice. He told me the swelling can last for months, but that I could run before then as long as the pain didn't hinder my form and the pain was 3/10 or less. I drove out to Portage Lakes State Park and ran a mile out to the lake on the main road and a mile back. My calf muscle got tight throughout the run, probably from not running much, but the ankle felt surprisingly well!

So today I ran another 2 mile run doing a loop around the neighborhood across from my apartment. I ran a little faster than I probably should have, but the ankle felt good again. In the next day or so, I plan on stepping it up a bit to 4 miles and see how I do.

Swimming

After work, I drove over to the Medina Community Rec Center to swim. I've never gone over a half mile, so tonight I went the distance for a mile (64 laps). I tried to pace myself better this time and felt good for most of the swim. The swelling on my ankle has gone down considerably, but it is still a little stiff. I can't wait until it heals since the weather is getting nice!

Sprained Ankle

Saturday morning, Brian and I met at Pine Lane for a potential 50K run. We started down the Buckeye Trail and got to the stream crossing about a mile and half into the run. The temperature was right around freezing, so the stream was not frozen across. Patches of it were frozen with thin ice, but the majority of it was flowing. We ran down stream to look for a good crossing but could not find one. So, we came back to the trail and I decided to try and sprint across the stream. I thought it was shallow enough to attempt it. Before I knew it, I was laying in the stream, pants soaked in water! Brian looked over and could not believe it. I hurried up and got out on the other side. As I was walking, I realized I had sprained my ankle pretty badly and felt a bit dizzy from the shock. I laid down on the ground for a bit to regain my senses. Brian then crossed the stream and we were on our way. I knew if I kept moving it might not tighten up. However as we got closer to Boston Store, I knew I would not be going any further and decided to turn around. I took the Towpath back through Peninsula and back up the brick road to Pine Lane. Brian continued on toward Brecksville.


I got home and took a look at my ankle. It was very swollen and bruised up to a little below my calf. I relaxed for a bit then drove to Heinen's grocery store to meet up with Brian and have a bite to eat. He was glad to have a ride back since he probably would've been out till past sunset to finish the full 50K due to all the snow.


So after work today, I made an appointment at a local orthopedic sports medicine doctor to get x-rays and see if I had broken or fractured anything. He found no broken bones and ruled it a pretty good sprain. Now I'll have to wait and see how it heals to see if I'm ready for Boston in a month and a half. If Boston rolls around and I feel any pain, I definitely won't run in the race and risk a recurring injury.

Click here for photos I took during the run.