Recovery

Recovery seems a blur now.  I couldn’t sleep much at all the first night after the SJT “50K.”  Every inch of my body ached.  My arms especially ached, so too did my calves.  A simple touch hurt.  I walked down stair steps sideways to avoid aches. 

I slept better the next day.  Monday after dropping the boys off at school, I slept until 1PM.  Every chance I got, I slept.  Every time I laid my head down my mind went through the race.  I found that pleasurable.  And then when I slept I dreamt strange or disturbing dreams, dreams of my life passing before my eyes, dreams of family members who have died, or dreams of running, running, never-ending-running. 

I didn’t even think of actually running those first two days after the race. Though I did some upper body weights, some hip and glute strengthening, a little foam rolling, even a bit of ab work. I kept wondering why my elbow hurt, then I’d remember the fall on that boulder. 

Tuesday, was EMO day – emotional wreck day.  My hubby said, “Recovery!”  Perhaps.  I went to work Tuesday so emotionally wrought it took great strength to put on “the act.”  I managed.  Then I got the call to sub a night class.  I took on that job with my eyes aching from sobbing.  Still, I was able to put on “the act.”  And glasses, they do wonders for sobbing eyes.  When I finally arrived home that night I went straight to bed.  (Does anyone else go through this emotional day after a huge race?) 

Today, Wednesday, was the day.  After dropping our boys off at school, I had the morning all to myself.  I set off for “sixish” “easyish” trail miles at about 10AM wearing my latest race t-shirt.  On my drive there, a bird (yes a bird!) flew into my windshield.  And the creature kind of flopped through the air toward the ground.  I thought I had probably killed it – I was travelling about 40 mph and add that to the bird’s momentum – I don’t know how it could survive.  I felt terrible. 

I continued on driving, determined to get in a trail run.  I wasn’t going to let a poor dead bird deter me.  And I don’t believe in omens.  I felt that if I didn’t get a run in today, I just may slide into a slump. 

This is how it went:  The weather was warm, almost hot as I ran down into Wood Canyon.  My shoes felt too tight.  I stopped twice to loosen the laces, questioning why my shoes would feel so odd.  I also felt sluggish, as if my legs weighed 50 pounds a piece.  I thought to myself, “What the heck am I doing?  Maybe I don’t want to be an endurance / trail runner anymore!”  (Sound familiar?  Does to me.  I go through this after almost every tough race.)

Then I hit the trails to the loud sound of a rattlesnake’s rattler.  I only caught a glimpse of its tail end.  I stood there on the trail with a male and female mountain biker, all of us trying to get a better glimpse, the guy attempting to get it to do some more rattling by beating the brush.  Then we started exchanging rattlesnake stories, and afterward, I set off, my legs still heavy, but my heart lightened by the trail.

I headed up Cholla Trail sweating profusely, not only because of the heat, but because of my recovery.   I always sweat much more than usual on my recovery runs.  I ran to the top of Cholla not thinking, but more feeling that I did want to be a trail runner after all.

A Quick Pose on West Ridge Trail (top of Cholla Trail):

Running Park Avenue Nature Trail for some Extra Elevation:

I made the trip up only slightly slower than usual.  I also spotted another snake in the distance crossing the trail.  Picking up my pace so that I could get a closer look, it slithered into the brush.  I got a close enough look at its tail end to know that it was not a rattlesnake.  Stopping for a minute, I searched the brush so that I could i.d. the critter.   It was a lovely, nice size garter snake.  I’d say at least 4 feet long.

I took the side trails for additional elevation.  Why?  Because I’m crazy.  Also, so that I could see the Pacific Ocean sooner than later.  But I couldn’t see the ocean at all.  Instead, I saw this – a lovely, “pillowy” soft-looking layer of clouds covering all that water:

Top of the World:

I ran back at a faster pace.  And I didn’t think about anything.  Nothing.  Nada.  I did hear the sound of shuffling feet behind me and I picked up my speed some on the uphills so that I could leave that runner behind me.  I wasn’t in the mood to let a runner pass me.  Usually I don’t have a choice.  But today, I could tell from the sound of his feet that the runner was tired, so I kicked it in (I know he was a “he,” because I peeked a glimpse behind me when I turned to run down Cholla). 

I didn’t get much mileage in today.  I didn’t get much training in today.  But I got some trails in today.  And that was lovely. 

I don’t even know how to do a recovery run. How long do you wait before running? How many miles do you run?    Ahh.  Who cares.  I got out today, finally, and ran trails again.  That’s really all that matters for this recovery run..