Top of the Key

Got up really early today, and on the road for my run at 6am. It was still pretty dark, and actually not that cold. But very icy and slippery, so I stuck to the roads I know. I had a lot to get in today: a run, a swim, an acupuncture appointment and then work. I managed to get the run and swim in before 8:30, that’s huge. Then the rest of the day plays itself out. I ran a little over 6 miles and ended up at the gym about a little after 7am. Then jumped in the pool for a quick drill swim of 1500 yards. Really pushed to get it done before 8. Got some good feeling back in my stroke, and ready a bigger swim on Wed.

The acupuncture appointment I have been going to every other week, has been focused on my left knee pain as of late. But today I had to attend to that knot in my back, which first started this past April when I slept wrong to accommodate our big dogs in the bed. With Ironman Arizona a week later, I had to deal with it all day. But today, I needed to readdress it with cupping. Here’s a brief description of it:

Cupping
Cupping is an ancient art found in many cultures to relieve pain. Stagnation in the body is removed by bringing toxins to the surface to be released through the open pores. The increased blood flow into the area of cupping also allows the area to heal more quickly. Cupping has been found to affect the body up to four inches into the tissues, causing these tissues to release toxins, activate the lymphatic system, clear colon blockages, and help activate and clear the veins, arteries and capillaries. Fleshy sites on the body, such as the back and stomach are the preferred sites for treatment. Cupping can cause some swelling and bruising on the skin. As the skin is pulled into the cup, the blood vessels at the surface of the skin expand which may result in small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. These bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days of treatment.

So I have been visiting the Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, and they have been extremely helpful with my training load, and managing my aches and pains. So cupping today was a big help. They actually bled me first, then cupped over that area. And what they drew out was crazy…of course there was blood, but a thick mass of blood too came out. Really crazy looking, like a small snail. Weird I know. But it came right from the area on my back where this knot has been brewing. So lots of built of tension. I took a photo to show you my back and the cupping marks…

Hopefully this will help start to ease that tension. We’ll see. I’m planning a brick tomorrow morning. Getting up at 4am, on the bike by 5 at the latest. And it’s snowing again!