More progress on the comeback path

I managed an easy 5.5 miles with Kathleen this morning along Buffalo Bayou under less than ideal (hot - duhh!) conditions.  I had driven out to Terry Hershey Park to accompany Kath on the last portion of her 12-mile long run.  She has been struggling for a couple of weeks now to overcome bronchitis which finally seems to be receding.  Tough to run with an upper respiratory infection in this heat but she has been a real trooper.  Kathleen is really determined to do well in October at the Mohawk-Hudson and to qualify for Boston.  I hope she can pull it off - as always conditions on the day are likely to be the clincher.  I think if she can manage a few good solid long runs between now and October, to build up her endurance, all will end well.

While my knee is not 100%, it is probably 80% and that is no thanks to the orthopedic surgeon, who gave me no real advice or suggestions for dealing with the ITB issue, other than the cortisone shot.  Actually I don't think the cortisone shot really had any effect.  Several weeks of near daily knee rehab exercises (the same set of exercises from my earlier knee issue a couple of years ago) combined with some rowing have helped to strengthen the musculature surrounding the knee.  This takes pressure off the joint and voila - less knee pain, stiffness etc.  Having worked with 5 lb ankle weights up to a couple of weeks ago, I recently increased that to 7 lbs - now up to 7.5 pounds.  Will steadily increase the weight in half pound increments up to 10 lb for each ankle, by which time I hope this issue will be a thing of the past.

Yesterday we saw 'The Disappearance of Alice Creed' which I thought was reasonably well done, and certainly enjoyable enough, mainly due to superb acting performances by all three characters.  There's only three characters in the movie which helped.  The story is replete with twists and turns and moments of tension and drama.  The script jars here and there, but all in all this is a taut and well-made character study.  The lock/bolt and door opening and closing sequences with exaggerated sound effects were overdone but it is a minor complaint. Be on the lookout for great things in the future from director J. Blakeson.  With a decent budget and a more polished script, he will go far.  This one I will have to rate 'almost' but not quite there.

I don't think I've said anything to date about 'Salt', with Angelina Jolie.  I quite enjoyed this highly entertaining chase and pursuit drama. The movie might very well have been a complete bomb without Ms. Jolie's megawatt star power.  Looks, charisma, charm, style (blonde or brunette) - she has them all by the bucketful.  Fortunately Jolie is on the screen most of the time, always highly visible to the audience and - predictably - staying just a few steps ahead of her pursuers. She really burns up the scenery in a Bourne-type role which seems to have been written just for her.  Some of the stunts are beyond unbelievable - in fact they are downright ludicrous.  Even so, it doesn't really matter if you are an Angelina Jolie fan and most of us are, aren't we?