Sherri

Word!

Carpe Diem, E! Way to show us homebodies what we're missing out on! Sherri

PM'd you.

Ditto on the foam roller recommendation. To that, I'd add rolling on a tennis ball or racquetball for getting into the deeper muscles and specific areas of tightness or trigger points(if you find a spot that is "exquisitely tender," you've probably found a trigger point.) Walking and elliptical machines heavily involve the hip flexors and TFL(tensor fascia latae), tightening and shortening them over time, so that even rest does not undo the problems that constant use has created. Gotta get in there with that tennis ball or theracane to release them. Without releasing them first, stretching can be counterproductive, and you may not be getting all the potential benefits of the yoga. I don't have any sort of medical background, but I exercise heavily and have learned(the hard way ) what it takes to keep things working so that I can do the things I want to do. Amazon.com sells The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook that is a fantastic, do-it-yourself guide to understanding and treating this sort of thing as well as everything from finger pain to toe pain. You could probably google it to get more info, too. Take care,

Olympic Mountaineering pulled up stakes a year or two ago. k.rose probably knows more about the details than I, but their departure left a gap in the community that has yet to be filled by its like.

Now THAT's some climbing. Nice work, K.!!

I wanna see the priddy pichers!

Sweet! PM'd you.

Does anyone know if the Elwha Wall gets enough sun this time of year to make it a good option for these 50-degree sunny winter days? If it stays damp and shaded, I'll hold off on checking it out till later in the season. The latest Olympic Mountain Climbing Guide seems to have enough beta to get started out there, but I would love to connect with some folks who are personally familiar with it and possibly do some climbing together there. Most of the grades are above my leading abilities for the moment.

The inscrutible relationship between our psyche and anatomy might make such an arrangement somewhat dissappointing for the abductor. Only if she made the GUY wear the lingerie and serve the espresso.

Good point, Minx. But do you really think some men would mind being abducted by a psycho chick posing as a steamy barista or as a sham photographer who wanted to treat their bodies as a "commodity"?

Cheers!

And while I'm at it, "why do your wrists smell like feet??"

Umm, did your delivery guy happen to look like this? If so, I'd consider him a suspect and investigate the matter further. "Hey delivery dude, how come your eyes smell like pepperoni?"

I totally agree! Keep it up and you'll be labeled Feminazi in no time. I'm a sucker for girls in uniform.

Carolyn, Thanks for the enlightening and engaging discourse on this subject. People can always agree or disagree based on their own observations or experiences. For me, your points strike powerful chords, bringing issues to the surface that often remain in the subtext of society's messages. Way to put yourself out there regarding something so important to you.

Somebody had to say it!

Great info...thanks for keeping us in the loop. Sherri

I think you should definitely look into it. With over 15 years of running logged on these tootsies, I've had my share of foot woes: recurring neuromas(treated initially with cortisone and then with two unsuccessful surgeries) and a ruptured plantar fascia. Orthotics came into the picture pretty early on, and I've seen the good and the bad. (A lot of folks out there doing more harm than good, IMHO.) Most of the ones prescribed by podiatrists were very expensive($200-400), and basically worthless. The neuromas came back again and again, even with curtailed running mileage. I've had them from all types of material combos, and in various lengths. The worst were the rigid half-lengths which made even STANDING a painful activity and made the ankles vulnerable to pain and injury. Happy Ending, though! sickie Two years ago, a local shoestore owner who does the orthos for pro athletes (as well as for little old ladies) made everything right. For less than $200 out the door, he made a custom pair of orthos(his are felt, neoprene and cork--no rigid plastic) and I'm running more than ever before with absolutely no pain. I didn't think it could be done, but this guy seems to know feet better than anyone and I'd recommend his approach in a heartbeat. People come from all over for his service, and it's worth every penny and more. He starts by observing and manipulating your feet, ankles, and calves, then he can tell YOU what hurts, what you injuries you've had, what injuries you're going to have, etc. Kinda like going to a fortune teller for feet. Makes me a firm believer that if you're going to do it, it's worth doing right. People will seek you out for it. If you want to contact him for more beta which may be helpful to you in your consideration of getting into this, I can PM it to you. In conjunction with getting the orthos sorted out, I've found trigger point therapy to be especially helpful for keeping things injury- and pain-free. Maybe that falls into the treatment you already provide though? Good luck, Michael!

The Vasque trailrunning shoes have been great multitaskers for me; I originally got them exclusively for running but found that they worked great for approaches, scrambling, etc on my climbing trips. Saves bringing separate shoes for each activity. As far as stylish, the last pair fit the bill, sporting a low-profile earthy green color, but I've heard that the latest crop is a now some gawd-awful color. I should have stocked up. Shoot.

A Democrat from New Jersey sickie

Metronatural

That has to be the most well-written poop TR I've ever read. A classic! I almost felt like I was there. (but I wasn't, honest!)Thanks for sharing.

"Pass It On--Hygiene At Your Fingertips" by Sharon Coliform Knowledge is power!

i would pay money for this to be serious. I think it was intended as dry humor.