Break into my stack of books I have been wanting to read…… Reading Longitude right now. This is the story of how one man solved the problem of accurately defining how to calculate longitude in the 1700s.

Organized my home office and filed my bills…. Lots of paper that defines what was bought and sold. I should just have my investment company send me electronic versions.

Update my website and blog…. This was long overdue and I finally converted to WordPress for my gravityh.com. Also restarted my Blog and worked out how to publish directly to my blog from my iPhone.

Read Wikileaks….so much to read. Eye opening that our government has such abysmal security controls. Train the dog… This is fun and will benefit Blaze in many ways. Got him to sit and stay but “speak” will require some more work.

Eat a big breakfast… Love this.. Usually on a Bluebird day like today I would be out on the cold trail trying to warm up. Instead this morning made an omlette and bagel while warming up to a cup of coffee.

Focus on my “take for granted” relationships… I should not wait for injuries to focus on this as relationships need constant attention and are the most important. I find these moments a wake up call and I learn more about myself on the important people in my life.

Go for a bike ride …if those parts are working ….this is a double edged sword. Yes it helps my cardio but could also delay the healing process if I push too hard or underestimate or miscalculate what is really injured. Getting out doing something physical has mental benefits and allows me to cope with my own issue of feeling left out from running with friends or exploring on my own.

Ok. Got To Go. Think I will go for a bike ride.

Two runners got lost in the Cleveland National forest since Late Sunday.  Both are said to be experienced ultarunners.  The first runner returned to the trailhead on Wednesday morning after being separated from his partner and sister-in-law since early Sunday.  The second runner was found by helecopter on Wednesday afternoon.  This is the fist day out of the back country they can breathe easy.   A team of people from the Ultrarunner community assisted in the search giving of their time to find one of their own.  I am glad this came to a safe and positive outcome for the runners. But I question their preparedness in these mountains and their experience.

I know what it’s like to do these kinds of runs.  You should know the terrain, trails and the physical dangers.  When running with friends we keep tabs on one another.  We signal each other to let each other know we are OK.  We wait for them at critical trailheads.  What drove these runners to separate and not keep tabs on each other…were they searching for water as one post intimates?   Were they duke-ing it out on the trail to see who could last the longest in the oppresive heat?  Don’t know although when the older runner is passed by the younger woman runner as he is throwing up as cited in her interview you wonder why they did not stick together at that point to ensure the safety of both.

Experience comes not only from the number of miles you put in and the races you have run but the time on feet in conditions that test your stamina, strength and judgment.  Most critical in this circumstance in my opinion is judgment.  Judgment to pace yourself, working as a team, knowing the trail and your bearings. There is much to learn from this this experience for these runners and I hope other runners and outdoor adventurers will take notice on what occurred here and take steps in their own passions to be prepared mentally and physically prepared for what mother nature decides to dish out.

On a related note today was the first day in a week I could actually fill my lungs to capacity without stabbing pains in the left side of my chest.  Was was up early taking with Jeanne and decided to get out for a short hike and watch the sun rise.  It was probably the slowest I have ever covered this section but it was nice to get out.   Now I need to strengthen my muscles in my mid section and ensure all the blood pooled between my lungs and plural cavity gets absorbed.   On the road to recovery but my adventures scheduled still hang in the balance.

A couple of days later I did an easy trail run, then a rest day and then a 60 and 20 mile road bike ride. Chest pain started during the road biking. Took a two more rest days and then did a little night riding to check equipment and crew for the upcoming Furnace Creek 508 . I completed the ride but was in pain.

Went to a pulmonary specialist Friday and found out I have hemothorax. WTF!! That is blood between the lung and wall of the plural cavity… Not enough blood to require draining it through surgery but enough to keep me from taking deep breaths and keeping me up at night.

I am thankful I now know what’s wrong but the rehab is slow. I am seriously bummed and will be trying to figure out if I can take on my scheduled adventures in the next month.

Guess I’m not 18 anymore…

Here are some recent training:

7/25 – Bike Mulholland Loop – 42 miles
7/24 – REST – feeling a little left knee ITB pain… also not sleeping well the past 2 nights
7/23 – Run – Backbone trail, 10 miles west of Kanan Road
7/22 – Bike – Rock Store, Yerba Buean from Mulholland, Stunt Road, 40 miles

7/21 – Bike with Bill, PCH, Latigo Canyon, Mulholland, 70 miles
7/20 – REST,
7/19 – Bike with George, Mulholland Loop, 42 miles
7/18 – Run – Pt Mugu State Park, 10 miles

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