My Days of Rest

“I am my own affliction; I am own disease”

Switchfoot

Saturday, August 14 I proclaimed to myself and my running friends that I would not run again until Bulldog.  I would rest.  I kept my word.  I have not run, not even from the car to the front door. 

This is how I’ve spent my days of “rest” (besides reading, cleaning, and sleeping extra hours):

Sunday, I slept in : ), swam 1,500 yards and did  strength training (weights & core).

Monday, 65 minutes on the elliptical (5.22 miles) and core work on the floor at home in front of my favorite soap opera.  To bed early (8:30!)

Tuesday, slept in again : ) 65 minutes on the elliptical (5.68 miles) and more strength training (weights, but no extra weight or repetitions than usual).

Wednesday, woke up early, Physical Therapy 8 AM, then to the gym for 1,500 yards of swimming, then again core work on the floor at home watching my soap.

Thursday, woke even earlier, Physical Therapy 7:30 AM, then to the gym for strength training (weights & core) plus 1,500 yards of swimming.  Napped in the late afternoon.

Friday, no workout whatsoever intended.  Sleep in and keep a cool head, pick up a few things from the store and pack.  I won’t even do a plank!

NOW, there may be friends and readers who will give me that funny look, giggle and accuse me of not resting these past days.  But believe me, this has been a rest.  In the past five days, I’ve probably slept an extra ten hours.  No cardio activity lasted more than 65 minutes, and the strength training, I didn’t “up” anything.

As a result, I feel rested.  My toe isn’t pretty, but it’s practically healed.  No pain at all, no limp.  My hip is also doing much, much better.  Though my pelvis continues to rotate forward.  Anything will do it.  Sleeping does it!  But I am getting better and stronger at realigning my pelvis back into position.  So, if you see me out there in Calabasas laying in the dirt, pulling and pushing my right leg, I am not hurt, I am just preventing pain and injury by realigning.

There you have it – my days of rest.  Now I am a bundle of nerves, hoping that I can complete the upcoming race, my first ultra.  My goals:  (besides completing), no falling, no injuries, handling the cramps when the arrive, keeping a smile on my face and a positive attitude, and most of all enjoying the beauty and relative solitude.  Because it really is beautiful out there at Malibu Creek State Park.

So long til then.

I am done

First off, I am not done with physical therapy as hoped.  The hip still aches (though my back is good).  Every time I run or pretty much do any activity, my pelvis rotates forward.  But now I know how to align it by myself.  Secondly, I’ve mentioned already my infected toe.  But I have neglected to write how I came upon that misfortune. 

The exciting history of the toe (left foot, next to pinkie):  It started with a callus, a perfectly normal occurrence with me.  But then I accidentally kicked the sharp corner of an enormously heavy lawyer’s case in my bedroom.  Okay.  That hurt.  BUT THEN, while cleaning out my boys’ closet I swiped that same toe across one of the bows my husband made (as in bow and arrow kind of bow) which put a nice slice in that same toe!

I ignored it.  Because I’m good at that.  I slapped on a Band-Aid, continued to run and limp around afterwards.  Then one day about a week ago, my husband demanded a look and dealt with it – my toe was infected and full of puss.  While I wiggled and hollered, he sliced the bubble of puss open and drained it.  Afterward, I soaked it several times a day in hydrogen peroxide, slapped anti-biotic ointment and a Band-Aid on, and continued to run.

To make a long story a tad shorter, my doctor says it’s called Paronychia.  He prescribed antibiotics and suggested that I not run this morning. 

5:00 AM I was up dressing for a trail run.  I bandaged the toe and was driving to El Moro – Ridge Park for an Emerald Bay run by 5:30 AM.  The fog covered the roads so thick it was distracting.  (I very much dislike driving in thick fog).  The weather was down right cold and gray at the park.  But that was lovely for a run.

We had five in our group today:  Myself, Sheila, Tom, Kelly and newcomer, Boris.  After taking the ridge for a bit, we headed down Emerald Falls Trail for an out-and-back down Emerald Canyon.  There was some bushwhacking, and gorgeous, yet eerily quiet trails.  The beauty immense, I was in a bit of trouble with the aching hip and toe.  By the time we were finished, I made the promise to myself (and out loud to my friends),  I am taking the whole week off from running.  Yes!  That’s what I said.  I’m not going to run until Bulldog.  Sounds crazy to me.  But I’ve got to do it.  So I decided, swimming only.  The P.T. says it will be great for the hip, and it also will do good not to have a shoe rubbing against my toe. 

Running Down Emerald Cyn

Taking in the Scenery

Heading Back on Emerald Falls Trail (One of the few flats back)

A beauty of a web – in person it resembled a piece of crystal art

Back at home again, I was overly cold.  I did my little march to find what I expected.  My right pelvis had rotated forward (down) at least an inch.  I got it aligned, soaked the toe.  A few hours later, still cold, but hip and toe much better, I crawled beneath a blanket and fell asleep for at least an hour.

So, there you have it.  I am done with running to train for Bulldog.  Adding 2 or three more tapered runs isn’t going to do me any good.  I need to get well, or I’m gonna fall flat on my face come next Saturday.

If any of you see me out on the trails – scold me!  You won’t be seeing though.  Like I said, I’m done.

Miles logged 9.75

Running with a Straight Pelvis : )

Physical therapy update:  First, I don’t think I ever really posted details of the car accident and how I got injured.  Father’s Day, I was at a dead stop, and heard the accident happening behind me.  I wasn’t sure if we had been hit, because everything happened slow motion and I was confused by the crash sounds.  Anyway, I twisted around to my right to check on my boys in the back seat.  At that moment we got slammed.  It was that twist that did me in.  My whole right side was sore pretty much immediately.  It seems that the impact realigned my pelvis, where one side was higher than the other.  Neck, shoulder and side pain went away in a matter of days.  But that lower back, pelvis/hip pain did not.  So, back to the update on the physical therapy.  When I went in yesterday, my PT said that my pelvis was perfectly straight.  How it is that all those stretches, massages and exercises made it straight again, I do not know.  So – good news!! (My boys by the way thankfully – no injuries!)

This morning I went for a single loop, clockwise at Aliso Wood Canyons park.  That meant running UP Meadows Trail.  Tom met me at the ranger station and we ran up Meadows together.  It was tough!  My hip felt it before we even made the climb (I think it probably wasn’t the best idea to run up Meadows the day after physical therapy).

The sun really shined down on us as made that seemingly never-ending switch-back climb.  Arriving at the top we could not even see the Pacific due to thick fog.  A rainbow-like arch  hovered about the fog and above that, blue skies.

Tom ran back down Meadows Trail for a six mile out and back.  I continued onward for a little less than twelve miles.  After a short downhill then uphill asphalt run, I hopped onto the trail that runs behind the houses at Top of the World.  The trail makes a “V” – first a steep down, then a steep up.  Two cyclists made their way down the other end of the “V” as I ran up it.  Then suddenly, one of the cyclists ate it.  His bike crashed to the rock trail, making such a noise, I thought his bike would be shattered to pieces for sure (but it did not appear so).  Even though it wasn’t my accident, it seemed to happen in slow motion, just about fifteen feet away.  The poor guy flew to the ground, I gasped, relieved that his face didn’t smash into the rock.  He jumped up quickly. 

“Oh my gosh!!!”  I said.  “Are you alright?”

He didn’t answer, he didn’t even look at me.  Instead, I could tell he was pissed.  I knew that look – it’s how I have felt when I’ve fallen on the trail – like, damn it, I can’t believe I did that!

His friend behind him said, “Seriously, are you ok?”  No answer.  I continued running on past the two and didn’t say a word further. 

I got into my groove as I ran through the neighborhoods, arriving at Westridge a short time later.  I felt happy, relieved to have Meadows over with.  It was all basically down hill from here (except for minor climbs on Westridge).

About to descend upon Westridge

 

 Westridge, just after passing Mathis

Miles logged this morning: 11.65  Despite my hip, it seemed like a cinch compared to Saturday’s 21 mile run. 

Words of Wisdom

Physical Therapy today.  After a recap of my runs, etc., these are the words of wisdom descended upon me.

1)  NO HILLS.  (So, I guess I goofed there.  I thought just as long as I felt no pain, and the terrain, that is horizontally, was flat, that I was okay).  Not.

2)  NO TRAILS.  I haven't run any trails since therapy began.  But I've been aching to.  So, I asked today, what about FLAT trails?  Answer:  No.

3)  PLANKS -- YES.  I can do reversed crunches if I want to, but Planks are really where it's at!

Felt pretty good after PT.  Hip ached quite a bit about 2 hours later.  Now, it's back to normal -- that is, no pain, unless I tweak it.  : )  And so, I won't tweak it.

Miles logged today:  0
Yards swam:  2,250

: )

A Hair Brain Idea?

Thursdays has been a running day for a long time.  So when I got word of an emergency meeting (re: work), I didn't fret too long.  I couldn't run tonight.  I had to work, after that, it was off to my son's orchestra practice.  My only choice:  simply run to the meeting.

My husband said it was a "hair brain" idea.

Hmph.

So did my son.

Double hmph.

I stuffed my glasses, a pen and some paper, plus my phone into my belt, glad that I came up with such a good idea.  : )  Out the door, I began my run uphill, a pretty tough climb.  Afterwards I ran downhill toward Insterstate 5 (even stopped in to see my youngest and husband at preschool).  After crossing over the river, I ran the road that runs between the interstate and the railroad tracks -- the car dealership ghost town.  And then the run got pretty tough -- tough as in, the road was not runner friendly.  The sidewalk ended and cars raced by at high speeds as I ran on an uneven gravel portion closer to the tracks. 

I made it to the district office with twenty minutes to spare.  Plenty of time to stretch, drink and rinse off my face before heading on in.  I don't really care if people think I'm crazy.  There was one guy a the meeting who congratulated me.  He saw me running by the car dealers as he drove in. 

I decided not to take the same route home.  My plan, hop onto the bike trail and run it on into Doheny beach (I don't call it the "bike trail" usually.  I call it the  "river walk," because it's a paved trail that runs up above San Juan Creek, which is sometimes a river.  Absolutely no one else calls it the "river walk," though.  I get laughs in fact when I call it that).

I guzzled down at the water fountain in a park that overlooks the creek, then headed toward the ocean.  But it turned out that the bridge that crosses the river (creek) was closed.  I headed back into San Juan Capistrano, and ran a much longer route home.  I got to pass my boy's elementary school and finally climbed back toward home as I passed my son's preschool.

I arrived home rather tired, but HAPPY.  Happy for no pain in the hip!

Miles logged this morning:   9.15

Gettin' Better (I hope I am, I hope I am . . . )

I've been doing my physical therapy exercises daily.  And I've ever so slowly been adding core exercises (like planks and reverse crunches.)  Yesterday, I set out for a road run, a little leary.  The wind blew hard as my feet hit the pavement.  I cringed, bracing for the worst.  But I was pleasantly, no . . .  more than pleasantly, more like exhilerated over the fact that I felt no pain, not even an ache in my hip.  I was afraid though, because I could still feel that my hip wasn't right.  It felt weak, as if I was recovering from an accident (in a way, I guess, I was). 

Believe me, I was oh so careful not even to twist in the wrong way.  I focused on posture and form, and gingerly stepped off curbs.  I didn't even cut across the grass woven with thick roots in fear that I'd step on one of those roots and jar my hip.  Didn't touch the sand, just stayed on that pavement for the whole, windy, windy run along the wharf and beaches.

For sure I'm healing.  The trick is, to keep it up.

Miles logged on Tuesday morning:  7.26.  But I feel sad when I look off yonder at those green hills calling out my name. 

Time to Give it a Try

I woke this morning with no hip pain.  I did my physical therapy exercises and stretches.  And being that I had to go to the post office anyway, I thought I'd take a little run.  I headed out in running pants, and a hoodie, zipped to my neck.  Gray skies, it was breezy and pretty cold.  But my hip felt fine.  And oh, about three blocks after taking off, I had that bright yellow hoodie off my shoulders and tied around my waist. 

Flat runs are difficult to come by in my town -- unless I drive down to the marina.  So I ran some minor hills out of the neighborhood, headed toward the sound of live music downtown.  With the roads closed into the town center, I realized that today was Festival of the Wales!  I ran on into the plaza, delighted.  Making eye contact with the band's lead singer, he waved at me as I ran  into the crowd.  The plaza was lined with vendors --different foods, arts and crafts, businesses advertising.

Out of the plaza, I ran across Pacific Coast Highway to the post office.  I crossed the highway and ran the cliff neighborhoods.  I just couldn't take it anymore; my body practically steered itself down the big hill to the marina.  There was a slight ache in my hip, not actual pain, so I figured it was okay.  Definately nowhere near a "2" on a scale of "1 to 10." 

Down at the marina, artists displayed their paintings along the sidewalk as crowds mingled about.  There were face painters, balloon twisters -- all sorts of interesting talents.  I squeezed through, making my way toward the wharf where I was met by another rock n' roll band.  Then I ran through the dry dock to make my way to the jetty -- a run up that road and back was an easy 1/2 mile addition to this run.   Fisherman threw a multitude of lines out into the harbor waters by the jetty.  And a great number of our city's homeless were camped out there as well.  As I ran through, an elderly, seemingly stinkin' drunk man (who could have been homeless) hollared at me, "You're lagging!  You're lagging," all the while shaking his finger and smiling at me with a toothless grin.  I thought to myself, "I know!  I'm doing it on purpose."

I kept up my leisurely pace back to the main road, a little concerned about running the big hill back.  Surprisingly, I took it no problem.  And the hip ached no worse.

Sorry about the hills Doc.  But they were nothing compared to what I'm used to.  And the PT said, "nothing that causes pain."  And the hills didn't cause me pain.  Really. 

Miles logged:  4.0

Back at home:  plenty of stretching, ice and more ice, and something new -- planks! 

Physical Therapy

I went to my first physical therapy session yesterday.  First ever.  It felt odd.  Like I didn't belong there; I was "out of my league."  I'm 45-years-old for goodness sake.  I've got three boys, a husband, a house to clean, laundry and meals to make.  I've got a teaching job and dreams of becoming a published novelist.  Yet, there I was, laying on a table while Kevin (my therapist) poked and proded every muscle to pinpoint just which ones were injured.  He found them all right -- three of them, in my left hip, just under my IT band.

Ouch.

After pinpointing that, he stretched my legs (more so than I ever do), and "rubbed" out my muscles (I don't know what it's called, but it's like a deep, hard massaging).  I did some exercises, had some electrodes attached to the hip with a comfortable pillow-like sack of ice over the injury.  It all lasted an hour and a half exactly.

Like I said.  This was my first time.  I don't even know the words to adequately describe the session.  I know that I felt better afterwards -- looser, but even more so, hopeful.  I felt hopeful that my running aspirations for the year might be met. 

It seems kinda ridiculous that I have running aspirations.  I mean, this is my hobby.  No, it's something more than my hobby.  "Hobby" just seems like the closest word to describe it right now.  What are my running aspirations for the year?  I'm not going to do the 20 races like 2009.  Instead, I just want Calico (check), Silverado footrace (check) and 3 marathons.  In addition to the 3 marathons, I'm aiming for my first 50k. 

Both my doctor and Kevin seemed optimistic about me running the marathon mid-April.  "But now is the time for healing," Kevin warned.  I am under direction to do nothing that causes pain in my hip -- even flat runs.  On the way out, I asked "What if I have only a little pain, can I run?"

"Only a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10, then you can," he said.  "But DON'T RUN 12 MILES.  Run 3."

I laughed outloud.

"Long distance runners," he chuckled.  "You're all the same!"

Long distance runner?  That is remarkably odd to me.  I'm no long distance runner.  I'm a dreamer, a drifter of sorts, an escape artist who happens along the way, to chalk up the miles.  That's who I am.

I do have every intention of following doctor's and therapist's orders though.  And so when I woke this morning, and I actually felt pain in my left hip, I chucked my running plans (I went to the gym in the evening, and even chucked the abductor and adductor weights AS ORDERED).  And though I worked-out an hour and a half, I did nothing that caused pain in my hip.

Miles logged today:  0

Therapy orders followed:  100%

ps.  some funny things today:
1)  My 8-year-old boy went for a run today because he was feeling agitated.  He said it makes him feel better to run.
2)  My 10-year-old boy said to me, "Mom, those other runners, they're running FREAKS."  He was giving me a pep talk about following doctor's orders. : )       

Trails CLOSED. %#3@%&!!!

Off and on storms have closed the local trails.  I keep hoping, checking park websites, phoning, to no avail.  My plan to increase weekly mileage back up to where I was at the end of 2009, looks dim right now.  With the hip so slowly healing and now another injury, a bruised tailbone after a household fall, I haven't been in the best of moods. 

HAVE HOPE.  Have Hope.  I've got to have hope.

I drove down to the wharf this morning for what I was hoping would turn into about a five mile run.  The weather was cold, the skies blue.  Most the runners, and many were out, wore pants, including myself.  I added to that a cashmere beanie, gloves and long-sleeved fleece.  It was beach cold, not Back East cold, so I should have been counting my lucky stars that I could get out there and run in the first place.

I headed off first into Doheny Beach, experiencing difficulty due to the pain from my fall.  I was a little pissed, but plugged away nonetheless.  Thousands of seaguls meandered about the sand, occassionally a flock of a hundred or so of those white birds would rise up against the cool breeze only to settle down a few feet away.  I really tried to focus on these outwardly things, escape from reality -- ordinary troubles, and that dang tailbone.  My anger grew as I ran along the boardwalk, and I knew . . . I knew, this wasn't good for a run.  At best, I was gonna put in about 3 miles at the rate I was going.

Finally, I put in a call home, a rant call, getting some weight off my chest.  And with all intentions of putting in another mile or so, I planned on calling it a day, hopping in the car and heading off elsewhere to fume.  Before turning back, I ran out to the campgrounds, circled it once, noting only a few campers.  I ran back though Doheny, the boardwalk busy with runners and walkers alike.  Noticing something in the sand, something resembling a large palm frawn, I ran off to investigate.  The closer I got, I knew, and that sinking feeling rose.  That palm frawn in the sand was a sprawled out dead pelican, those glorious birds that I love so much.  I turned away quickly, saddened.

I ran out to the rock jetty on the way back to the car.  The usual busy Doheny waves were empty of surfers.  The jetty also was void of fisherman.  I brushed the thought of that poor pelican from my mind, along with every other thing going on right now and ran some more.  Enjoying my music, it seemed, my pace picked up some, and my injury said "ouch" less often.  My hip in fact, did not complain at all.  As I headed back to the car, I thought, "you gotta run through the wharf, at least do that." 

And that I did.  It was beautifully lonesome, a serene Pacific Ocean slapping at its edges.  Coming out of the wharf, I saw my dog walking friend, Sherri.  We waved as we passed one another.  Approaching the parking lot, I thought, heck, just run a little further.  And so I ran alongside the yachts, crossed under the bridge, then ran up and over it.  But then I kept on running.  At first I told myself to do half of the island, but then kept on running and did the entire island, plus a little more, finally arriving at my car feeling better, less angry, a little more hopeful.

Miles logged this morning:  7

Who Cares About Groove?

Rain has ceased!  (At least for now : )  I couldn't get out for a run though, until early evening.  It was tough on this old gal, as I am purely a morning runner.  Put me out there in the afternoon or evening, most times, it's like I'm not even a runner.  As was such today -- I never really got my groove.  That's all right though,  really.  I'd rather run with no groove, than not run at all. 

With that hip ache STILL lingering, I headed down the highway and took the pedestrian bridge over into Doheny Beach, which was closed.  Not for runners though, or cyclists, or walkers -- we just went right past the "closed" barrier.  The campground was a ghost town, the state park roads also void of cars, except for rangers who roamed about, saying nothing about the dozens of runners making their way through the "closed" park.

The weather was cold, the sunset magnificent -- orange with puffy clouds.  After turning around at Capo Beach, I snapped a picture of the sky, that doesn't even do it justice.  People literally lined the walkway at Capistrano Beach (which wasn't closed) shooting pictures of this sky.  They had cell phones and cameras with foot-long lenses alike. 

It was dark by the time I ran into the wharf.  I came upon a pelican standing in the middle of the sidewalk behind Jolly Rogers.  I really love those birds, so giant and awkward they seem, though they're quite graceful in flight and lounging out on the sea.  This particular bird didn't move as I approached, then finally at the last moment scampered away.  He seemed injured, othewise he would have flown away.  I wished there was someone I could call to help out my poor friend. 

Restaurant lights cast their shimmering glows upon the black ocean waters of the wharf.  Another magnificent sight -- one great reason to get in a night run in my parts.  What wasn't so magnificent was the pain in my hip.  It worried me some, so I skipped the marina and headed up that big hill home, instead turning north on the highway to finally pick up my car from the shop.

Miles logged today:  6.59

View from Capo Beach taken with phone camera 

Calico 30K Trail Race (CHECK) New Photos Added 1/27/10

First what I dreamt:  I can't find a parking place and the race begins in minutes -- it's a marathon, in the big city, and come to find out, before I even begin the marathon, there's a 20 mile pre-race.  Parking illegally, I run and run this "pre-race", through water and mud and crowded streets, into hair salons, toy stores, and even libraries where I run through endless aisles of books.  The books get bigger and bigger, making the aisles tinee, tiny, and I finally must crawl and squeeze through skimpy crevices between  these books, and the marathon hasn't even begun!!!

Back to the real event . . . The whole family stayed the night in Calico Ghost Town.  And strangely, though my hip was better the day prior, suddenly it ached all day Saturday, and I worried.  I stretched, took those anti-inflammatories.   After a fun day and dinner downtown with the family (though stressful), I bedded down early in the bunk house, still some coughing here and there, the boys too excited to sleep.  And I woke throughout the night, dreaming, dreaming, dreaming . . .

Down Town Calico Ghost Town
(Click on Pictures for Larger View)

Our Lodgings

Woke for good at 5:30 AM, stretched, and oh, so slowly prepared for the race.  Two extra strength excedrin didn't do much for the ache.  I hoped it did something for the inflammation.  6:30 AM,  IT WAS COLD as I headed up the road by foot toward downtown Calico.  Dozens of cars passed me on the road.  My excitement was the wondering whether I would be able to complete the race.  Actually, wondering, how on EARTH I was going to complete this race.

Ready to Leave -- I'm thinking, "I'M FREEZING," and not 5 seconds later do I have that orange fleece shirt pulled over my head

The walk up to the Start Line in downtown Calico Ghost Town begins

Getting Closer . . .

And Closer . . .

Arriving to the Start Line -- 9 minutes to spare : )

There were familiar faces in the crowd, mainly people I know about, but don't know.  But there was also a trail group member I know, Matt (You may recall, he helped me rescue my earpiece from the storm drain some months back).  We took off at the same pace for a good four miles.  It was a slow, steady incline, nothing tough.  My hip ached, but not terribly.  The relatively small group of racers (I don't know, perhaps 100?  probably more) didn't spread out drastically during those first five miles.  Parts of the trail was sandy, which is much like running on a sandy beach (more difficult than solid dirt or asphalt).   I laughed when Matt looked over his shoulder at the good size group of runners, and remarked, "Look, we're not last!"  I felt good, despite the hip, despite my doubts about completing this race.  I felt happy to be out there -- with my runny nose and kleenex in my pocket and all.  I felt grateful to be running again. 

Matt

Me, so, so cold, on that lonely (but not really that lonely) road into the scarey desert : )

Aid Station #1 at approx. 7 miles -- these stations are such a wonderful sight -- here's where I dropped of my fleece and gloves, but kept the sleeves because it was still quite chilly

This photo taken by Badwater Ben Jones

Miles 7 through 12, the crowd spread out, and Matt gained distance on me as did plenty other runners.  The gradual incline continued for some miles.  And the slant was ever so slight with my bad hip on the downhill -- not good for the pain.  It got worse.  I drank my water, downed the electrolytes in one form or another.  And then much to my amazement . . .  about half-way through this miles 7-through-12 segment, my right leg began cramping.  Seriously! I was actually aghast.  I had done everything in my power to avoid this cramping, from storing up potassium to eating potato chips at the aid station (which I never do), etc., etc. Though I say I was AGHAST, I didn't let that spoil my mood, because completing this run, in my opinion was all about mood.  That meant keeping a good attitude, breathing right, smiling and smiling often, relaxing the shoulders, waving, swaying to the music (yes, I did that here and there),  praying, yes praying, and to say the least, eating those jelly beans -- I hardly ever allow myself the indulgence of jelly beans, but today I stuffed my pockets with them at the aid station : )))))

Miles 7 thru 12, still seeing people around me, trail not difficult yet, except for slight slant

Hmmmm . . .

More of Miles 7 thru 12, notice white arrow painted in dirt to show the way

Aid Station # 2 -- Glory!

Poor Runner Who Didn't Make It

The Terrain Grows More "Technical"

Crampville

Still Miles 7 thru 12

Yes, That's My Big Foot : )

I was feeling the technical difficulty of the terrain to the point of fatigue by the time I came to the 30k/50k split. The volunteer here said, "Don't worry, it gets better once you reach the top," and I thought to myself, "didn't we already reach the top!!!" Ha, ha, ha : )  I knew . . . I remembered from last year the best was yet to come.

The 1st 30k/50k Split -- I'm going to the right!!!

From the split on, the terrain became increasingly difficult, or "technical" as they say.  No longer a nice wide road, I had rocks and boulders to deal with and a steep incline to climb.  Less than 100 yards from the summit, I phoned my husband (it was precisely 10:30).    After a short chat,  we lost connection, which happened to be at the peak.  Not wanting to lose downhill time, I raced down when suddenly both legs cramped.  Yikes!  For some reason, I tried a hamstring stretch.  NOT A GOOD IDEA.  My entire body nearly went into a cramp.  Then I remembered, stretch in the opposite direction of the cramp!!!  And so with my knees bent slightly, one foot in front of the other, I lifted my toe and bent down to grab it for a solid calve stretch.  Then I rubbed down the calves.  Feeling better, I attempted another hamstring (why????)  Yikes.  I nearly sent my body into a full cramp again.

Heading Up to the Summit (looking off to my left) -- Awesome to be there!

The Summit -- It's downhill from here to the next aid station (I'd guess 1 to 1.5 miles away) -- but the cramps hit in abundance here, so I can't make up that much time due to the fact that I need to stretch out the cramps : ( (Still though, I'm really happy I've made it this far, because it's pretty much a done deal that I'm FINISHING this race -- as long as I keep on smiling and praying and swaying to the music : )

Every time my right foot stepped on a rock a pain shot into my hip.  So I tried to avoid that!  At one point I got that hip shot, something also happened to my knee -- it was wierd, quick, and painful.  It didn't disable me, but I knew, it was not right.  But I kept on running.  And of course, click, click, clicking away with the camera.  (Fortunately, I didn't hear much complaint from my knee after that until I got home.)

After downing extra strength aspirin and some more electrolytes, I made that down hill run all the way into the second aid station, ipod blaring in my ears, and a wide smile on my face.  Oh, how I love those aid stations!  More potato chips for the salt, some gatorade (and jelly beans in the pocket), I also slabbed pain reliever cream onto my hip.  Then I gleefully phoned my husband one last time to tell him that I had less than four miles to go.  But I warned him, it was NOT the usual kind of four miles.  What lay ahead was the most technical portion of this trail race -- the cursed portion, the portion where I wiped out big time last year. 

Into the Glorious Canyons I Descend -- Did Not See One Single Other Runner During Canyons

Awsome (though I stumble quite a few times through this portion)

The Trail Begins to Smooth Out -- I'm Dead-Dog Tired, "just put one foot in front of the other."

Finally Coming Out of the Canyon -- and I'm a BIT TIRED : )

Running Along Base of Ridge I'm About to Climb up to -- Homeward Bound!

Running Along Ridge, About to Descend -- One Last Look Back

This photo also taken by Badwater Ben Jones.  I was just coming off the trail, headed for the paved campground.  I couldn't run more than a few steps without my calves cramping up.  I saw Ben there with a camera and the last thing I wanted right then was for someone to take my picture : )  I'm glad he did. 

The long stretch in was painful.  I saw Matt walking back to his camp as I made my way through the campground. I stopped a couple times through the parking lot to stretch out the cramps.  But I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face.  And I felt GOOD.  My time was about five minutes longer than last year (about a minute over 5 hours, I think) -- but the course did not beat me up this year.  I was not bloodied and bruised, I did not feel like vomiting.  I simply walked over to my family not feeling like I had just run 30 kilometers through the desert.  I definately call that a success. 

I experienced no more cramps once I got out of those hills.  My hip felt just about the same after the race as it had all week.  But back at home, I was icing an aching knee.  Not a terrible thing.  It was all worth it. WELL, WELL WORTH IT. 

 
So, So Happy to Cross Finish Line (below photos compliments of husband)

Heading off to The Mystery Shack, Where Water Flows Up, and Brooms Stand on Their Own : )

Miles logged:  18.66 (30k) glorious miles

Stats forthcoming (when Calico posts them : )

Final Update

Slept oddly, waking here and there.  Strange dreams all night of overcrowded classrooms, Dr. David Hayword, toy stores, worms, sugar, bread shaped like a teddy bear, thinly sliced-cheese, red roses, want of a single yellow rose and more and more and more -- it was chaos.

Hip ached yesterday.  I continued the icing, stretching all the regular stuff from my "Fast Track" plan.  My cough still lingered.  First thing I did this morning was stretch -- no pain, just a little stiffness.  No cough either.  Awesome.  I have one more full day at recovery.  Please, please, please, let it be.

I am nervous as heck.  I find it difficult listening to people talk -- they add too much detail!  I just want to sit and breath. 

Signing off until after Calico.

: )

Clock Ticks Away as I Move Closer to this Unplanned Physical Experiment

I reached the peak of my illness last night/this morning.  Though I'm still ill, I am improving.  Continuing the hip exercises and foam roll.  I'm experiencing absolutely no pain in the hip doing ordinary things.  Some pain when I stretch, but usually just some stiffness.  No pain whatsoever with the foam roller. 

At this point, it's all about getting well and stengthening that hip.  I'm looking at Calico now as one big experiment -- can I do it, with having run a mere 3.75 miles over the two weeks leading up to it?  And can I do it, happily, joyfully, playfully?  That's my plan anyway. : )

Miles logged:  0

Updating Still . . .

For those of you just joining me in this saga, I am quick approaching the Calico 30k Trail run, my favorite race of the year, the whole reason I began trail running back in June of 2008.  Calico beat me up pretty good that first time, but I finished.  I finished with the promise to return.

After a full year of training, with merely days remaining, I am sick.  Not only am I sick, but I am recovering from some kind of repetitive injury to my hip.  I haven't run in about a week, nor do I think I will be able to run tomorrow, or cross train for that matter in the final days leading up to Calico.

And thus the update for today, Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

I am sicker than I was yesterday.

My hip took a step backward after yesterday's swim. 

I am continuing my "Fast Track to Recovery" plan and trying not to do too much in a day, as far as chores, etc.  I'm just at the point now of seeing what I can do come Sunday, I have no real goals.  I don't really care to get out there and run or cross train until then, because if I'm sick, I fear I'll get sicker.  And if my hip does get increasingly better -- I want to keep it that way til the big day.

As a side note:  I accidentally took double the dose of glucoscomine today.  What the heck is that going to do?  Who knows.  How did I do this?  I took my supplement (1,500 mg) and then later in the day drank one of those joint jucie waters -- which upon close inspection, noticed that it too contained 1,500 mg : )

Here's the good thing about right now:

It's a good thing that I'm sick now and not at the end of the week.  Everyone's been sick in my house, it was only a matter of time.

Being sick also guarantees that I'm not gonna go out there and injure myself further.  I do foolish things like that. : )

Miles logged:  0

Update (or maybe just an excuse to complain?)

After a restless night of waking again and again, I finally woke with MUCH improvement to the hip.  But . . . I gotta laugh at this -- I also woke with a sore throat and overall aches.  (I guess it's better to catch this cold, or whatever it is, now instead of later.)

I packed lunches, got the kids off to school, all without a limp.  I took my supplements, did some stretching, and with the sore throat still lingering, I headed off to the gym anyhow, about 10 AM.  Now, at forty-four years old (soon to be 45!), you'd think that I'd have more sense.  But I don't.  I really don't.  So desperate am I to get in some cardio, I did my swim.  I cut it slightly short though.  Swam 2,000 yards, an easy easy work-out really.  Best thing was, I experienced no pain what-so-ever (aside from that nagging sore throat).

(I'm just going crazy here!!!  I needed to do something).

Back home, I rushed about doing chores afraid to admit that my hip was worse off this afternoon than when I woke!  The way it looks right now, a Tuesday run is out of the question.

Boo Hoo.

There is plenty, more than plenty to be thankful for.  But this!  I am not very happy about it TO SAY THE LEAST.

Miles logged: 0

ps.  here's the kicker that I've neglected to mention -- exactly one week after Calico, I'm scheduled to run the rain post-poned Xterra. LOL

Cheers!

Fast Track to Recovery?

Seven days have now elapsed since my last run -- and that one, I cut short due to my hip.  I was starting to  "freak out" about this.  I maintained my composure and all (sorta), but inside, I've been bummed, REALLY BUMMED.  First off, this injury came on the end of December, and I kept on running.  I should have layed off back then.  (How many times do I have to learn this?)  Secondly, I'm stressing, wondering, will I be able to run Calico, my most favorite race of the year?????  It may be two weeks off from running when I hit the trail out in Yermo.  Can I do it? 

I'll take back right now something I recently blogged, and that is that it was a "given" that I'd finish Calico.  Now . . . maybe not.  Heck.  That's okay.  Still, I'm resolved to get over this before the race.

My fast track plan to recovery (hoping for a run this Tuesday)

1.  Stengthening excercises specifically aimed at treating Bursitis -- daily

2.  Foam Roll -- a few times a day

3.  Stretching -- several times a day

4.  1500 mg glucosamine, 1200 mg chondroitin

5.  Anti-inflammatories

6.  Core strengthing exercises

7.  NO RUNNING, no cycling, no hiking (except for walking around Disneyland all day), no Elliptical

It looked like I wasn't getting much improvement as of yesterday.  But today!!!  I woke with no pain (the pain is usually at its worse upon waking).   Most importantly, pain is minimal when I stretch.  : )  Happy girl here!  Tomorrow, I swim, and then maybe, just maybe I run Tuesday. 

Miles logged this morning:  0