The Iliotibial band of Hell

For the past 32 days I have been trying to deal with an injury that has left me hopeless. It all started over a month ago going into The Otterbein Indoor Invitational on the 23rd of January. I had been attempting to overcome a slightly small case of I.T. band syndrome going into the race, little did I know this would turn out to be over a month log nagging quad strain/I.T.B.S injury. We haven't had much training going into Otterbein, and doubling in the 1600m and 800m was not a wise thing to do. My body was not ready and training had just gotten underway. I basically fell apart after that meet...

I have tried numerous things; Stretching, Heating, Icing, Ultra Sounds, Cross training, Orthotics, I had even taken off a total of sixteen days in the past 32. I have put in only thirty miles in the past 32 days. I am extremely frustrated and feel like I'm running into a dead end. I have mentioned to Eric about going to see a Doctor, but he felt If I get more aggressive with my rehabilitation through with Trainers at Shawnee then we would see where that goes...

Shawnee's personal trainer, Victoria, set up a Rehabilitation schedule for me:

AM:

I.T. Stretch (Passive)

Ice bag for 20min

PM:

Ultra Sound - 5 min

Heat - 20 min

Stretch: I.T. Passive/Active, Quad, Ham - 3 x 30sec

SLR: Back, Elbows, Side lying - 4 x 10

Clam Excersize - 4 x 10

Wall Squat (ball behind back) 4 x 10sec

Theraband 4-Direction - 4 x 10

Repeat stretches (active)

Ice for 20 min

Today was my second day with this schedule. I am gonna try my best to get in there twice a day and also cross train again probably for the rest of the week. Victoria told me the only thing a doctor would say would be to take off time and if it gets worse he could shoot me up something. I am to the point where I would try anything, but I would rather stick to this then to get shot up with a drug and limp through a shitty track season.

My outdoor track season is pretty much in the shit hole now, So I am trying to stay positive and think about the future. Cross Country is a sport that I have been running for over six years and this year, I feel could be my brake out year. I feel like I have finally grasped all aspects of training and I am ready to kill it. Until then all I can do is try to stay positive and get this shit figured out.

- BJW

Delta Spirit - People Turn Around

eighteen and jaded
with guns in their hands
they were fighting for freedom
and just what is that

bills to the banks
and food for the kids
money for college
but couldn't get in

made all the grades
but got taken to task
by a man in an alley
wearing a mask

screamed and she begged
as the people walked by
the man he just laughed
and the woman she cried

well its time all you people
to turn around
for the life we've been living
messing around
the blood we've been spilling
will bleed us dry
the life we've been killing
is the life like mine

the needle is sweet
and the snow it is pure
the pain I've been hiding from
I'm finding a cure

the night it is warm
well the light it is cold
the family I'm loving
I'm calling them home

my heart it is thumping
the veins they've been blue
the blood thats been pumping
still hasn't met you

the beard that I'm growing
not fully grown
the years are not coming
the way I thought they would

hoping and waiting
for something to sing
like the angels in heaven
the bones on the street

hoping for love
to find a new voice
the song thats needs singing
has already been sung before

Mammoth Caves

This past weekend I joined eight other geology students and Dr. Shoemaker, as we drove five hours south into Cave City Kentucky Friday morning. We left at 9 a.m. from Shawnee and got there a little after 1 p.m. Our two day trip would consist of cave tours, site seeing, and a lot of exploration. We first stopped at the entrance to Horse Cave. We did not take a tour of this cave because Shoemaker said it was dumb.

entrance into Horse Cave

After we checked it out we headed to Mammoth Caves and took our first tour through the man made entrance. This part of the cave was still active so it was very wet and very narrow in the beiging. Our group for the tour was around 20 people so it made it a lot more personal. After a our two hour tour Dr. Shoemaker took us down to River Styx Spring and Ecco River Springs.

Ecco River Springs underground river

After that we hiked back to our van and we drove to our hotel to check in. We at dinner that night at a local Mexican restaurant where I destroyed a Burrito California style. We hung out there for an hour or two then some of the guys and Shoemaker went to the bar. I, being 20 years of age still, returned to my hotel to watch some movies and get some sleep.

The following morning we ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and checked out. We headed to Mammoth Resort to check out an overview of the sinkhole plain from atop Dripping Spring escarpment.

atop Dripping Spring excarpment

After a group picture we headed out to check out the turnhole bend on the Green River. This was also a very scenic outlook.

atop the turnhole bend outlooking the Green River

We followed down the road and stopped at a local dinner in Pig City, Kentucky called Porky Pig dinner. Almost everyone ordered the same thing, Polled Pork BBQ sandwich. After some good food and laughs we went back to Mammoth Caves and took our last tour through the Historic Entrance. This was a much more opened tour with more then 120 people which caused a loud ruckus and confusion, but still enjoyable.

historic entrance into mammoth cave

The tour lasted around an hour and a half and provided a lot of detailed information on the history of the cave. We returned to our van and headed on our journey back to Portsmouth. This was an amazing trip. I am really looking forward to more field study and trips to learn a lot more about Geology. The next Geology trip is March 3-12 in Arbuckle Mountains, Oklahoma!

-BJW

this is a live version of The White Stripes "Ball and a Biscuit"

Its quite possible that Im your third man girl
but its a fact that Im the seventh son
and right now you could care less about me
but soon enough you will care, by the time Im done
Lets have a ball and a biscuit sugar
and take our sweet time about it
lets have a ball girland take our sweet little time about it
tell everyone in the place to just get out
well get clean togetherand Ill find me a soapbox
where I can shout itRead it in the newspaper
ask your girlfriends and see if they know
that my strength is ten fold woman
Ill let you see it if you want to before you go
Its quite possible that Im your third man girl
But its a fact that Im the seventh son
It was the other two which made me your third
But it was my mother who made me the seventh son
And right now you could care less about me
But soon enough you will care by the time Im done

A Glimpse of Something Fresh.

This is my new blog that will be updated weakly. It will cover things going on in my life, and the things that affect it in any way. I will also try to cover what's going on in music and the running world, because those are my two passions.

So, where do I start? I guess I'll give you an update on this so called "life" so far. I am nearing the end of my second year at Shawnee State University. I am attempting to major in Geology with a goal of attending grad school somewhere out west.

My life right now basically involves a lot of distance running, academics, working at Starbucks, and Music/Social Media. I have a huge passion for running and have been trying to become somewhat decent since I started running in the fifth grade. Another big passion in my life is Music. I have been introduced to so many different genres and artist through concerts and music festivals. I enjoy learning about new artist and winding down to some smooth My Morning Jacket.

Whenever I get a weekend off from school and work I try to get out of town and visit with family. I have three older brothers. Aaron 28 lives in Pittsburgh, Jeremy 26 lives in Dayton, and Derek 24 lives in Tampa. My mom lives a stressful but joyful life in Toledo. In Portsmouth there really is not much to do but go to the movies or hangout at a friends house.

That is all for now. I want to leave every blog with musical lyrics that I enjoy.

-BJW

This is a call of arms to live and love and sleep together.
We could flood the streets with love or light or heat whatever.
Lock the parents out, cut a rug, twist and shout, Wave your hands, Make it rain, For stars will rise again.

The youth is starting to change.
Are you starting to change?
Are you?
Together.

In a couple of years Tides have turned from booze to tears.
And in spite of the weather, We could learn to make it together.

The youth is starting to change.
Are you starting to change?
Are you?
Together.

- MGMT "The Youth"