Ahhh, the dharma wanderer’s scorpio intensity has struck again. This time during his overly exuberant movement while running during the concentration HIIT practice he described in a previous post.

According to the dharma, suffering arises from what is called the three poisons: attachment, anger/hatred and ignorance. The dharma wanderer can tick off two of those boxes: attachment and ignorance. The explanation that follows also seems to exist within a paradox. This is another mystery of his life journey that rears its punishing head when he overly intensifies his pursuit of most any goal. Such is life in the aging baby boomer lane for he who is ever exploring intentional optimization of his body/mind.

Q: How did you injure yourself?

In the last mile segment of a four mile walk/run HIIT, I was running easily and began increasing both pace [speed] and the length of my stride. Then I felt a fairly sharp pain in my right calf. I slowed to a walk and tried to stretch it out when I returned home. Avoided running for several days. When I returned to the Monterey Bay marine trail for a walk/run session, the discomfort arose sooner this time, in the second mile. I walked the remaining two miles and tried to stretch it out at home. Avoided running for a week. Tried running again. This time discomfort arose in the first mile. Walked home. Tried an extended and INTENSE stretch. THAT was a mistake arising from IGNORANCE.

Q: What were you ignorant of?

I misdiagnosed the injury as what was called back in the day, a charley horse. Bunched up muscles that can be massaged and stretched for relief. When I described the problem and the sequence of exercise sessions to Perplexity.AI deep research version, it gave me a diagnosis: Grade 2 Calf Injury. Stretching was the wrong thing to do, considering the muscle tissue is likely torn. I plan to see my PCP in the next few days. He’s a runner himself, and he may refer me to a rehab specialist.

Q: why are you writing a post about this?

The message to do so has arisen several times in my awareness. I think it’s because in previous posts I have pushed the healthspan value of vigorous movement. To not report this injury would be an integrity/ethical error of omission. Despite what has seemed to be progressively improving physical conditioning, it seems I injured myself because of my exuberance in pushing my body past its limits.

There is a likely release of endorphins during HIIT sessions. After earlier pre-injury sessions I did not feel much fatigue and experienced a positive uplifting mood. I may have become unconsciously attached to such feelings. Runners can become attached to the high they feel after some runs.

Q: Do you think this is an unhealthy attachment?

Significant health benefits of vigorous movement were clarified in the previous concentration post via two links to brief evidence-based reports by Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

See Rhonda Patrick Ph.D.’s brief video reports on the latest research validating the strategic value of high intensity HIIT exercise for [1]
all cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and [2] cancer

It seems the key issue for the dharma wanderer is finding a balance between healthy movement, especially vigorous movement, and avoiding going beyond the limits of his aging boomer body.

Cultivating body awareness while avoiding overly intense movement can sometimes be a paradoxical challenge. The challenge is to avoid being carried away by the endorphin high that sometimes occurs. When that high arises, it is essential to recognize it and possibly back off the accelerator a bit. Just appreciate the blissful feeling, but avoid becoming attached to it.

Q: How is ignorance a player in this exercise drama?

I was truly ignorant about the possibility of tearing muscle tissue from over-exertion. I had heard of tissue tears, of course, but did not appreciate how that phenomenon could apply to my own body.

My dakini dancing lifemate repeatedly cautions me: “Don’t over do it.” This is a message I need to incorporate into my consciousness with disciplined awareness.

May this confession of attachment and ignorance be of value for any who might tend to go beyond their body’s capacity for exercise.

The Journey Continues…

🙏💕🌎