RICE and beans

At first it seemed a bit ironic. But after an evening of close scrutiny, it subsided into more a 'just another bump in the road' event.

Seeing the finish line of the month long low glycemic carb test, we were out doing our weekly speed session, 5X50s and 5X100s. A nice little 1.5 mile warm up opened the session and we were off. One nagging question has remained, lurking in the shadowed background of my subconscious: Is this LGI enough fuel to power high intensity workouts, reduce fat percentage without sacrificing muscle, and provide adequate and sustainable octane for endurance events?

This diet seriously restricts staples such as white rice, potatoes and refined, fortified or modified grains. Which takes us right to the rusty gate of irony: RICE.

With the exception of some Spanish rice I had in a rice and bean burrito while working in Salinas, this high glycemic food has been noticeably missing from my diet since the end of March. Until yesterday.

When on the last 50 meters of our cool down mile I decided to finish up with a final sprint to pick up the marking cones. I had seen the depression in the trail earlier and consciously avoided it. Not a pothole or rut, more of a soft spot where our recent rains had accumulated and created a small crater-like obstacle. Looking up while sprinting, I felt the left semimembranosus muscle hyper extend to compensate for the irregular surface. My knee instantly became unstable and I pulled up reaching behind to access the damage. You have seen this before, it is, ahem, the classic knee-jerk reaction. Ouch-a-roni.

Not overly painful but debilitating. Even walking was an irritant. I knew I had done it up good. The question was now: How good? Great video explaining all this here.

After bidding the gals good night, I went about the business of treatment. A quick assessment and immediate care is necessary due to the scheduled (read: important) events coming up, tomorrow's 90min spin, Saturday's pick up of the 10K Cervelo, Sunday's TT and LSD run, Monday's spin and 72 mile ride to Port Angeles. A grade 2 hamstring pull can throw a wet blanket on that fire of fun in a hurry.

I started with ice. Wrapped with neoprene. I sat with elevated leg at my desk tending to business and rested. I thought about the cause, the lead up, the ramifications, the rehab, the cost. And then I thought about the paradox.

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Want some beans with that?