A stuttering start...

Welcome back everyone....my apologies for keeping everyone waiting for what will be yet another scintilating description of my life!
Why the so long since the last post? Well, November and December were flippin hectic with the end of term assignments and exams, and I really wasn't doing too much of interest running-wise. Then, I realized that the first blog back would have to include some sort of lengthy description of the previous weeks and months as well as some sort of excuse as to why I had neglected my blogging for so long....it seemed to be an insurmountable task and I got scared.
But, I have addressed my inner demons and am back to blog; to continue the tale of my athletic pursuits, a tale that (I believe) is going to be decidedly more interesting than it was last year, if you can believe that!
So what has happened since the cross country CIS championships? Well, I continued to address my knee issue, a long and slow process during which a non-specific and dull ache would migrate back and forth across my knee throughout my runs. This lasted for quite some time, as the physio's had warned me, but I do believe that I am just about over it now. I did come to realize that wearing spikes (racing shoes) was not the best for the knee....there may be something about the added traction of the pins that locks my foot to the track increases the torque on my knee. I think I will have to break myself in slowly into wearing spikes so I will be able to race in them pain-free.
I wrote my LSAT (law school entrance exam) and scored well enough to put me in the mix for a few schools around Ontario and Canada. I will hear back in a few months time as to whether I have been accepted or not, but this now raises the dilemma as to what my priority will be in the coming years: school or running? Or can I continue to balance both and reach the heights that I aspire to?
Following a few days off after CIS, I began training for the track season. However, this has been fraught with some minor, but nagging injuries: hamstrings, knees, and achilles: hence the title of this blog. My training has been of good quality, and I am most likely at a higher level of fitness than I was at this time last year, but we haven't been very consistent due to my need to back off everynow and then either to stave off or recovery from injury. This is all part an parcel of this business, but its frustrating all the same. I am currently getting over a strain to my right hamstring and just got back to easy running today. I have a massage tomorrow to hopefully work out some kinks and I'm looking forward to starting afresh!
New Years, and the corresponding resolutions. I'm not sure how long this will last, but I plan to get to bed each night by 11:00pm. This is part of my committment to proper recovery. I can train as hard as I like/can (and I do) but I will not improve, and will most likely continue to get injured, unless I recover properly between workouts. Nutrition, stretching and strengthening exercises, icing all require attention, but sleep is one area where I often let myself down.

So, that's what I have been upto, and now what's next?
Well, Kev got me into a race in New York City on January 22nd. I am racing an elite 1500m in the New Balance Games. I was supposed to be in the elite mile, but there were so many entries, some of whom were faster than me (such as Olympians Allan Webb, Andy Badderly, and Taylor Milne) that the meet directors created an elite but slightly slower 1500m race. Regardless, for my first 1500 of the season, there will still be some excellent competition and I'm pretty excited to be racing in the Big Apple! (I'll try to pick up the New York accent to add to my repetoire of "fake" accents!)

Anyway, my new bedtime is approaching....cheerio for now and I'll catch you later! Thanks for stopping by the blog to check up on my developments. Happy New Years!
Be Easy.
Matt