Tank Superstitions

Spoke with a young Marine veteran last night. He told me about the mystical world of armored vehicles. As a former Marine, I was fascinated to learn that apricots are most unwelcome aboard Marine Corps tanks.

It seems they attract gremlins.

Back in World War II USMC tank maintenance outfits noted that every Sherman broken down with strange, unusual mechanical problems had C-ration apricots aboard. The only logical conclusion was that tank gremlins, lured by the aromatic scent of tinned apricots, had monkey wrenched the machinery. And so a tradition was born and, ever since, apricots have been abhorred by USMC tankers.The young Marine who told me this was a grunt. But his father, a two-star Marine general, had spent most of his career in tanks. And a good portion of that career was spent gobbling down apricots from the turret. As far as I know, the general's tanks never suffered undue mechanical troubles. However, there were many men who would not ride with the general.

He was seen as reckless.

The Pool or If They Could Sea Me Now

Did I swallow this much water today? No, but it sure felt like it. Swim coach Georgia had me doing a mixed side/crawl stroke prior to teaching the side stroke. But I'm not that adept at kicking on my side. Coupled with a tendency to tighten up, I'm finding myself sinking and ingesting a fair amount of chlorinated water. Georgia realized that a bobbing corpse is a poor advertisement for swim lessons, so she had me use fins. Wow! The express lane of swimming! I zipped across the pool gulping less water in the process.

Aqua ran afterwards but my knee could only take about 15 minutes.

Slow, slow recovery.

But all this water had made me a much cleaner person.

I revel in that.

Post-Injury Swim Lesson

Worked out with my swim coach, Georgia. We trained at a small pool in Pasadena. I learned that I have strength and ease in the water. In fact, I could be a crackerjack swimmer save for my inability to breath without swallowing water. This isn't a problem in, say, mountaineering, but turns out to be a crippling drawback in the swimming community.

Among other drills, Georgia had me do "rockets" where I exhale jumping up from the bottom of the pool, blowing out my last breath as I break the surface in order not to swallow water. Overall, practice turned out to be a serious cardio workout.

Afterwards I did some aqua jogging. Wearing a flotation belt, you run in the deep end, concentrating on form. After about fifteen minutes, my right knee ached a bit. I called it a session, drove home and iced it.

My goal in swimming is to do lots of laps and not drown.

And not have my trunks fall off.

In time, I'm hoping new goals will suggest themselves.

On Being Injured

Being injured makes me angry. Watching teammates run while I guard their sweatshirts hurts more than my damaged tendon.

I went to the chiropracter this week. I would've been better off handing the money to one of my coaches. All I got was R.I.C.E advice: Rest, ice, compress, and elevate.

On Monday, I meet with a swimming coach. I need to brush up on basic strokes. Swimming laps and aqua running will be my primary exercises while I mend.

If it were possible, I would trade that big, fat Pacific Shoreline finishers medal for a leisurely four-mile run.

But such is the way of things.

Better now than in May.

In Passing

Both our coaches named Katie set personal half-marathon records on Sunday. Because of horribly snarled traffic, I started the race late. I was outbound at mile 2 or so when they zipped past on their way to the finish line. We said 'hi' and 'bye.' They looked strong. They finished the 13.1 miles together in 1 hour and 37 minutes. That averages out to 7 minute 26 second miles.

Also, two of my Hawaii teammates ran a 10K that day in Redondo Beach. Ernesto bested his 10K time from last year while Nick cruised the 6.2 miles in "54 minutes and change," cracking 9 minutes a mile.

And so good things occurred on a disappointing day.

But I did get the big surfboard finishers medal.

And free ice packs.

Go Team!

Injured my leg yesterday at the Pacific Shoreline Half-Marathon. I'm at mile six, cruising along at pace, when the very tendon I praised in earlier posts for healing so well turned on me. Sharp inflammation. I slow. More pain. I walk. I walk for two miles. More pain. I walk slowly. Young and old — running and walking — pass me.

By mile nine I'm limping. If there were a First Aid tent in sight, I think I would've quit. I've fallen so far back, I'm surrounded by marathoners. (They're on mile 16.) I walk as far to the slow side of the course as I can. Still, some runners speed past and cut sharply back in front of me — like drivers zipping around slower motorists out of spite. Their actions stand in contrast to other marathoners who cheer me on as they pass.

My sweat dries and I start to chill. Now I'm cold and hobbling. The sun is out, but still misty behind the clouds. At mile 12 I spot the Huntington Beach Pier and speed limp. I finally cross the finish line in 3 hours and 23 minutes. (That would be a great marathon time.)

I head for the First Aid tent. Grabbing an ice pack, I sit on the curb and numb my tendon and knee. A few members from my Team in Training chapter stop by. They ask if I can make it to the parking lot shuttle. I can and do. Eventually, I arrive home to ice and the Super Bowl and an assignment that had to be turned in Sunday night.

During the run — and subsequent long walk — I was glad to be wearing my purple TNT jersey. There were lots of "Go Team!" from runners and spectators. I had the sense of never feeling alone. I was indeed part of a team. That's something I'll always remember about the Pacific Shoreline Half-Marathon.

Tendon to Business

Big farewell dinner for the Winter Team last night. Many members will be back for the monthly alumni runs and several intend to race San Diego on their own. Still, it was the last official time we'll gather as a team.

Speaking of racing, I ran my 3 mile time trial on Wednesday afternoon. I had the Rose Bowl practically to myself. My time was 27.53. But that night I felt a pain in one of the big tendons running down my right calf. I iced but next morning there was swelling around the knee. I iced again and elevated the leg, but ended up dashing about on errands more than I cared to. Today the leg is much better; swelling is gone. But I need to ice it over the next two days. If I still feel any tenderness on Sunday, I won't run. I'll just show up and support the Katies. (Both our summer coaches are named Kate and both are running Sunday to set personal records in the half-marathon.)

I really want to run the half marathon, even though it will just be to practice pacing.

Pacific Shoreline has a cool surfboard finishers' medal.