A new year

Well it's the new year. It's been a while since I've updated anything. My brother is responding well to his treatments, the numbers are going in the right direction, unfortunately loses his energy for a day or so and at the end of the third week of treatment is pretty wiped out. During the week off seems to feel pretty good as his body restores and gets ready for the next round. More info to come in a couple of weeks when he goes in for some tests.

I've been trying to keep going at exercise some weeks have been inconsistent. I got a couple runs and rides in during the holidays. I've had to lay of of the running for a while because my knee flared up. I've done some research have a pretty good idea that it's a case of IT Band Syndrome. I'm no medical expert but based on numerous sources it seems like I've got all the symptoms. The only real remedy seems to be rest.... but that's hard.

The ideal exercise would be swimming but even here in So. Cal. it's too cold to swim right now and there aren't any pools open at the right time for me to go any way so the next best thing is the bike. I'm still researching but have really gained some insight from a website I found. If you have some time check out Saveyourself.ca and let me know what you think. Paul there explains the source of ITBS and outlines some possible ways to treat it. We'll see how it goes, in the meantime lot's of bike riding.

I'm thinking about the race schedule for this year, my biggest concern is to make sure I give the knee time to heal. Maybe a few races out at Bonelli both on and off-road and I'm registered for the Pasadena 1/2 Marathon (I've never run that far in my life.) I'm not sure I'll be able to do the Malibu Nautica Tri because it again conflicts with Scout Camp and that seems like the more important thing to do. What I like about the Malibu race is using it to raise awareness and money for a cause, in that case Pediatric Cancer Research at Children's Hospital LA so something else I'm thinking about is if I don't do that event is there a way I can use all events as a way to raise awareness for a cause. Two significant things in my life right now are Pancreatic Cancer and a group called Lifewater International so I'm thinking through how to do that.

That's the update for now. Stay healthy.