Ouch

I took a step backwards in hopes that it would be a longer term step forward.

In October I got a cortisone shot.  I worked well, but it had pretty much wore off by December.  I then took most of December and January off in hopes that a full rest could help address issues with the knee.  They didn't. 

I started slow jogging again towards the end of January, and have been doing about 30 miles a week.  That has crept up a bit to even north of 40.  I have issues with the knee but have negotiated with myself that as I am not training for anything pace doesn't matter.  So my runs have been slow, with frequent stops to take pictures or make calls.  It is really just about being outside, moving a bit.  I am sure I am not helping the knee with that but I am doing the runs more for the limited muscles above my neck.

I did talk to the doc who gave me the shot in October and proposed a treatment of Duralone - a hyraulic acid.  I got that shot on Tuesday.  

By Tuesday night my knee was grapefruit swollen and so I was more than gimpy.  I had difficulty sleeping most of Tuesday night.  So no running Tuesday or Wednesday.

By Thursday, it had subsided some but I was still pretty sore and stiff.  But it was enough in that place that I thought some movement would help.  I eeked out a slow 3 miles.   I think it helped even though it seems like a day of rest would have been fine too.  

Apparently, the amount of fluid injected can cause this reaction.  Fingers crossed it moves the whole thing in the right direction

Pluggin

Nothing really on the running front to report.  I am bumbling along at 8-10 minute paces, knee is still jacked, but getting around 40 a week.  I probably ought to just not run on it for six months, but I can't get my head there.  

I saw Mark P for some PT.  The needles honestly are the easy part.  His manual work on you is straight up hell.  

It seemed like it helped for a little while.  Or maybe it moved the hurt to something else.  Anyway, he thinks it is tendon versus something like bone.  Maybe.  

Been enjoying lots of live music, including ...

... RCPM at Union Station ...

... Jason Mraz at Dillon ... 

Been traveling a bit too.  Mostly to SFO ...

Been doing some "new" work ...

Got out on some water.

Started playing with a telescope again.

And even thought I left SC earlier this summer because of work / life commitments, fell into a lower commitment band and doing some gigs with them.

So, just plugging along in another wonderful CO summer ...

Well ... shit.

After 365 episodes, Lucho and Tawnee are calling it.

I listen to a good number of podcasts.  Most of them are business/work related.  A couple of news/financial ones.  Jocko as a general improvement one.  I have tried listening to some training and running podcasts, but this is the only one I have ever really listened to.  I have heard every episode - usually over a run, sometimes over yard work.  It just worked for me.  I didn't agree with every tenant of training they shared, but I mostly did - and I really found their broader philosophy to be on the mark.  I enjoyed listening to their victories, their setbacks, the shift in their viewpoints, and their growth as podcasters and people.  

My knee is screwed enough (left side) that I am deciding to take a few days off.  It is one of those annoying injuries:  I CAN RUN.  But when I do, I am jacked and gimping on it - visibly enough for others to notice.  There is enough swelling on the knee that it is noticeably larger than the other one.  I'll see if I can get ahead of this one before wrecking myself to require a 3 months off.  

Bunch of transitions going on for me now in life as well.  I am shifting up the work situation.  I am going to be dropping from the band that I am in.  And I am backing off the high school coaching.  All of these are the right choice, and ones that I am mostly happy with.  There is a bit of that, "well ... shit" sort of thing with each of them for what I am leaving behind, but it they are each the right one to make in light of life, priorities, and the next chapter.  I am genuinely happy for what I am choosing instead while being a bit misty eyed at what was.  Both things can be true.  Doors close, doors open.  

Japan 2023 Part 2 (Osaka and Kyoto)

We flew from Nagasaki airport to Osaka.  It started a bit tough because Peach Air was not going to allow me to bring my travel guitar with me in the cabin.  Rather than ship it, a recipe for destruction IMO, I left it in KZ's car.  I was fairly convinced it would be melted by the time we got back (but it worked out that it was fine).   Once we got to Osaka airport (KIX), we fumbled around trying to figure out what train to take to get to downtown (a bit of a challenge given the language differences).   Once we got settled, we headed out for eats.  Osaka is an incredible city and we only got a short glimpse of it.  

W

Osaka - I think you could eat out every night of your life there and never see a quarter of the places.  The ones in the back alleys are the way to go for sure.

Then it was the bullet train to Kyoto.  What a marvel.  So comfortable, so easy, so fast.  If I visit Japan again to see KZ, I'd take the train from Tokyo to Fukuoka.  Makes flights seem horrible.  

Kyoto is unbelievable.  It is truly a magical city with over 1600 temples and shrines.  We took hundreds of pictures.  

We ended up wandering a quiet canal alley, found great food and drink, enjoyed the fireflies and the magic of it.  

Our second day there we ended up walking over 15 miles, taking in temples, shrines and an infinite number of Torri gates.

There was sushi of course as well.

Hit up a bamboo forest. 

On our last day, we still walked another ten miles, taking in more ... and again just scratching the surface.  

It was then back to Kawatana (next post).

Japan 2023 Part 1 (first part in Kawatana)

We went and visited KZ in Japan.  

She lives in the Nagasaki prefecture, in a smaller town (but bigger than most in CO) called Kawatana.  There she teaches English at the junior high school and an elementary school.  It was, as expected, a long day to get there (really about a full day from door to door).

Her middle school.

Enjoyed a meal where you cook your own meats at the table our first night.  

We were generally comically confused in grocery stores.  There was liberal use of Google Translate (a ridiculous app:  see something in Japanese, hold your phone camera up to it and then see it translated in about 2 seconds). 

Went to a traditional onsen our second night, so no pics from that.  KZ made us dinner.

We then headed to Osaka and Kyoto for a couple of days.  We flew to Osaka, but first we stopped at the "Corgi Cafe" - also called Dog Hill in Kawatana.  Basically, an eatery where there are Corgi dogs walking around.  I'll cover the Osaka and Kyoto piece in the next post.