Date: 11/7/21
Training Day: 55
Miles: 12.3 (iFit indoor bike ride)

How It Felt: Even though cycling indoors isn’t as good as being outside, it felt soooo good to do a “spin” class.

Commentary: Today I finally got to try out my new spin bike! Between getting sick and perfecting my setup, I didn’t have a chance until today.

If you connect the bike to the iFit app on your phone or tablet and do an iFit activity it will automatically adjust the resistance of the bike. I wanted to use my TV, but it won’t let you connect to the iFit app on the Roku. So, I bought a Chromecast to cast it to the TV.

I picked an intermediate ride of about 40 minutes, and the resistance of the ride was weak sauce. Since I ended up adjusting my resistance manually, it felt like there was no point in having my phone connected. Then I realized I wouldn’t get all my cool ride stats saved on my phone if I didn’t, so I guess the Chromecast wasn’t a waste.

Anyway, last Wednesday I went to see a chiropractor. My extra PT sessions either weren’t approved or the VA is taking their sweet time. Who knows. But I wanted to get a little more help for my hip and lower back before my half marathon.

My chiro works with athletes, particularly weightlifters, but he also knows how to help runners. He confirmed that my pelvis was out of alignment and did some pushing and cracking to help that out. He also pushed, pulled, jerked, rotated, and all other sorts of things to evaluate me.

Come to find out, my right glute is strong but useless, as in it doesn’t engage and help me out when it’s supposed it. As I suspected, my right ankle is jank, and probably has been since I tweaked it back in 2011 when I first started running. My chiro believes it was the catalyst for all the other problems I’ve been having with my lower body.

Another fun thing he found out is that my squat form is absolute shit. He told me not to do regular squats anymore. Goodbye Body Pump lower body! Instead I get to do squats using a TRX strap, and then I can graduate to counterbalance squats (weight out in front of me). Good thing I just got my TRX anchor installed! I also have shit dorsiflexion. So many things wrong with me!

I have another appointment with my chiro on Tuesday because he wants to keep working on my ankle. I also want to talk to him about how my right calf, left hammy, and lower back were aching during my half marathon.

In the meantime he gave me some exercises and stretches to do, which I would like to try to do a few times a week. He also recommended a book called Ready to Run, which I’m really excited about it. This doctor who wrote it, Dr. Kelly Starrett, claims that if you follow his 12 “standards”, and work on them ten minutes a day, you will run pain free forever. We shall see.

Between my chiro and what I’ve read so far in the book, I went to the sporting goods store and bought some new toys to help me in my journey to pain-free running. I still need to find a box, like one to jump on, step on, and put my foot on for Bulgarian squats. But I’m on my way!

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