Sleep

Just as a quick aside, why are all of the negotiations about the fiscal cliff "closed door" meetings?  The Council can't do that….Also, worked the Christmas Tree fund-raiser for the athletic boosters over at OHS yesterday.  They have great trees.

So, I've been cross-training a bit this fall and whatever we call the current season.  It wouldn't appear to be winter yet and thunderstorms are forecast for Monday so maybe it's "Suminter".  The cross training I'm doing is running and cycling.  Unfortunately, most of the cycling is being done indoors on a trainer.  Riding a bike on a trainer is a special kind of hell for a road cyclist.  Road biking is about riding long distances out in the elements.  Done by oneself, it's 2 hours (or more) of suffering in solitude.  A time to clear one's head and get right with the world!  Being trapped inside, while a necessity, is horrible.  Rolling along in the great outdoors at 20 mph you don't notice sweat very much.  When you're on the trainer it, rains sweat.  It's nasty!

I've been doing this off and on for about 6 weeks.  I'm what some folks call a "clydesdale".  It's a polite way to call someone a fat guy without starting a fist-fight.  I go with the flow and train as long as I feel ok and my schedule allows: about 5-6 days a week.  I always take a day off each week.  I don't always like it but I do it.  So, about 4 days ago I was running and stepped on a loose rock in the road.  Some might ask, "why run in the road?"  Well, it's normally safer to run in the road: the "trails" we have in the city are largely cracked-up 3 foot wide asphalt patches (except for Winter's Branch which is fabulous).  For extra fun they're also normally heaved and cracked by roots.  If you're training for an endurance run in Costa Rica, they're perfect.  If you're a middle-aged guy trying to lose weight it's a prescription for a trip to the ER with a twisted ankle.  In Old Town most of the roads don't have sidewalks so it's into the road.  Really, unless you're pushing a baby carriage, it's best in our city to stay in the road (at least on the subdivision roads) and keep an eye out for cars.  I landed awkwardly on my right foot which transmitted that weird position to my hip.  It didn't bother me right away but it bothered me enough that night to wake me up.

I always sleep on my right side with a pillow under my chest so I don't fall over.  I've slept that way my entire life.  Since this injury I can't sleep on that side.  I've tried hot-tubbing it away.  I've had a massage.  No joy.  I'm resigned to just having to leave it alone.  No yoga until it mends.  I guess it's advil for me.  However, the real problem is that i can't sleep on it.  Have you ever tried to change your sleeping position?  It's pretty much impossible.  I can't do it.  If we're staying in a hotel I'll always ask for more pillows until I get enough to get comfortable.  Tent-camping?  Not in 10 years.  It's excruciating to try to sleep in a different position.  Sleeping on my left side makes my back hurt.  Sleeping on my back just feels…wierd.  I'm always afraid a bug or something is going to run over my face.  Of course, it isn't like a bug couldn't run across me face if i was on my side but it's a thing I've got, thank you very much.  You've got your thing, I've got mine.  I've seen Don Draper on "Mad Men" sleep in what he calls "the parachutist" position – on your front.  That just makes me feel flat.

Sarah very much ejoys my tossing and turning until I finally pass out.  I really hope this heals before she kills me in my sleep…:)  I dont really have an ending for this so I'll just stop.