Ultra Running: Trials of the Trail 

I am getting my workouts in by standing for long periods of time in the OR while training techs and nurses on new equipment.  I am also logging adding upper body work by vacuuming.  Can’t really add any significant real workouts since I was taken out of my routine with travel for, yes you guessed it, work.  No worries, I really am adding little muscle movements in everything I do to feel better about not putting actual road miles in!  Still way ahead of last year.

Had our cross country meet today and my top girl runner won the meet!  She’s only in 7th grade and beat out 8th graders for this well deserved win.  Won’t have team results from the school until tomorrow, but we ran well.  Lead boys finished 2nd and 3rd!

I did not get my  workout in even though I wanted.  Came home and cleaned the house up, it was a wreck.  Then ate dinner too late to run tonight.  I’ll put in an early morning run tomorrow.

Health:

• Date: 10/07/2008
• Weight: 119
• Mood: Normal
• Sleep Hours: 6
• Sleep Pattern: Insufficient

Here is a story about how to use the report feature of sweat365 to stop panic, embrace truths, and build a running base.

I am once again setting out to properly and effectively train to run the Western States 100 mile endurance run.  I spent the better part of the last year doing the same thing, to only have the race cancelled due to wildfires burning in N. California. As runner preparing for the biggest race in my running life (again) and coming off an injury that sidelined me for 2 months I was afraid. 

Yes I was in a full panic; until I pulled my report for October of 2007 from my archives.  This is where “embrace truths” comes in.  The total mileage that this “ultra runner” logged last October was 21.45 miles.  That is a tough one to swallow, the ugly truth that this site does not lie about the miles you log.  How did I go from such a sad showing last fall to being fully prepared to race 100 miles I one day by June? 

That leads me onto building a running base, and how I have already used Sweat365 as an instrument of inspiration.  I wrote in my blog that I would make October better than September, asking my friends to keep me accountable.   This morning instead convincing myself I would find time to run at some point in the day, I did something different.

I decided to take a look at the sweat365 and do whatever workout someone else had posted.  It was fun not knowing what workout would be in store for me, but I was game. On the home page there was a post of someone who had just done their morning run.  This was enough to get me out the door.

Once the decision was made to run before my day was taken over by work, I went longer than my cyber friend had gone to complete my longest run since my injury.  As soon as I came in the door I jumped onto the site and sent a thank you to the runner who inspired me to move.

No panic is left since I know I will easily top last year’s weak effort of 21 miles in October; what was I doing last year that seemed so much more important than running?  Oh I remember a week of that I was sitting on a beach in Mexico.  See me embrace that truth, watch me build my base.

My team rocked it today.  Each of my kids exceeded expectations.  1.48 mile course.  All my kids finished in PR times from 5:45/mi for my top 8th grade boys to 10:12 for my slowest 7th grade girl, whose previous best mile was 13 minutes.  In my real life I don’t really have time to coach middle school cross country, but I am so glad that I have this opportunity 

Health:

• Date: 09/18/2008
• Weight: 112

Heading out to the wilderness to camp with the family for a few days.  Then onto a cabin at a lake resort for the remainder of the week.  Maybe some running to test the body!

Love this irony….. I am scheduled to have surgery for a meniscus repair on the day I turn 40!  I met with Dr. Mandt today, he has excellent credentials especially for knee injuries.  He has been the team doctor for the US ski team, so I am in very good hands.

His diagnosis is a lateral meniscus tear.  Unfortunately the location of the tear is not in the “normal” place one experiences a tear so a easy clean it up approach is not going to work.  He will need to suture the tear back together which means I am on crutches for 6 -8 weeks.  The good news is the damaged meniscus is in the outer portion, this is the only part that has a decent blood supply so a complete healing is possible.

There is outside chance that since the tear is n the location with blood supply that it may be healing on its own.  I have not run a step since bailing out at mile 27 in my race 17 days ago.  I will work on my recovery and maybe just maybe over the next 21 days enough healing will occur that the surgical option is set aside.

Happy birthday!!! SURPRISE

Had my MRI for the right knee injury.  I tend to be claustrophobic so I was a little worried.  It turns out that the MRI capsule with its loud noises along with the need to stay perfectly still was extremely relaxing.  I don’t normally stay quiet and still in my day (not even while sleeping).  I think it was the nicest experience of my week.

I will not have the report to my sports medicine doctor until next week, but the unofficial results based on a quick look is meniscus tear and more concerning a severe bone bruise.  From what, I am not sure.  The bottom line for me right no is no activity.  The worst part is the terrible calf cramps I am getting as my muscles begin to atrophy, not fun. 

Will try to occupy myself this weekend with my other favorite activity besides running…working.

Okay still not running after car accident.  Not happy about this in the least.  Did have a massage and it seemed to help.  I had to drive over to Prosser, WA yesterday 3 and half hours each way.  Then I was delayed 6 hours as the Operating Room schedule was played with all day.  I left my house at 4:00am and didn’t finish with the doctor until 3 pm.  Believe me there is NOTHING to do in Prosser WA!!  I was also working for “free” yesterday as this case was a revision of a poorly placed stent (I will not name the Doctor, he is new to this procedure andtechnique).  My income comes from selling the implant and  we were simply readjusting placement of the exsisting one.

My back was killing me last night after the drive home so no running, several people who love me have said I should see a doctor, but I have resisted.  I am at least thankful that the patient should enjoy a much better outcome now and that’s always a great feeling and a well spent day, even if it was 15 hours.

Was heading home from a busy work day and was stopped at a red light and a driver came down the street at 40 miles per hour and did not see me or the light. Getting hit is a scary thing.  My car is not drivable and my body is not runnable.  My 50 mile race is just a couple weeks away and I was hoping to run a half marathon this weekend.  We’ll have to wait and see, for now I get to play with the insurance companies fun fun!