Thursday, July 30, 2009

The GOOD Life

Running- There's something about it that melts your fears away. That something that washes away your worries and stresses. Makes everything seem so small and at the same time provides you with the bigger picture.

I remember running White River 50 miler last year. I was all alone, near a mountain top. There were giant mountains in every direction. I took a moment to stare out at the view and then I had a thought. I had a client (at the time) who just thought he was the bees knees and that the world revolved around him. His biggest worry in life was figuring out what to wear everyday because that he had so much clothing (he told me this). At that moment I wished I could have transported him to my position so he could see that, in the grand scheme of life, he is insignificant. When I run these long distance races or go for a long training run, I feel like I am stripped down to the very essence of my being. It is me in the raw. I am so in touch with myself and the beautiful scenery/sensations going on around me. When way up in the mountains all alone, surrounded by giant trees and large peaks, I feel so tiny. I feel that at that moment, nothing really matters. Everything is right and everything is as it should be.

Sometimes coming back to the reality of life is a shock. Things are somehow different. Sometimes I wish life was that easy. That I could just play in the mountains all day without a care in the world. But, when life throws you curve balls, it's nice knowing that just around the corner is a place where you can get away from it all. A place where you can think clearly and a place to feel happy!

See you in the trails!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Howe Sound Crest Trail, 2009


(First time doing HSCT, Gary, Tom, Jurgen, Peter, and I)

I remember the first time I crested those beautiful hills along the Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT). It was 3 years ago and it almost didn't happen. Jurgen Watts, Tom Skinner, Gary Robbins, Peter, and I, cuddled up at the Cypress Mountain parking lot. It was raining, cold, and oh so foggy. Not the type of day you want to do the HSCT as you would be missing out on all the spectacular views. Nonetheless, we all sucked it up and decided to get out there. It was such an amazing beginner experience. I lagged behind all the guys going uphill but seemed to come around once we got up higher. Jurgen and Tom ended up bailing out at the Lions Bay escape route, which left Peter, Gary and I to finish it alone. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I couldn't wait to come back and do it with better weather conditions.

This brings us to September 16th the next year. Peter and I were coming back from vacation and as soon as we crossed the border we called up Mark Grist and Tom Skinner. The plan was to go the following day, which so happened to be September 16th again. Peter and I have since deemed Sept 16th our anniversary day and have by fluke ran it every year on that same day since. A tradition that we will continue for a long time. The run was absolutely amazing. The views were breathtaking. We all stayed together and finished it about an hour and a bit faster than the previous year, although under pristine conditions.



This Sunday, 6 of us headed out do run the HSCT (Meredith Cale, Adam Way, Skinner, Peter, Glen Pace, and myself). Meredith and Adam had never run this trail before and I was excited for them to explore trails outside of North Vancouver. It was hotter than it has ever been before. I don't seem to mind the heat but you could just feel the rays coming down on the exposed climbs. This time around some of us decided to climb the West Lion. I had never done it and was all game to try out something new. I think all of the outdoor climbing I have been doing has really helped with my confidence in sketchy situations. I never once felt as if I was compromising my safety and I seemed to be able to ascend and descend with care and ease.


(A view of Pete, Tom, and I on the West Lion)

It was here that we ran into our good friends Gary Robbins, Tamsyn Anstey, and Ryne Melcher. We would see them a couple times throughout the rest of the day but it wasn't long before they were out of view.



After a few more climbs we were starting to run out of water, and the heat was intense. Adam, Peter and I worked hard getting to the top of the climb becuase we knew there was a water soure just around the corner. Here the trail split of right or left. Left took you to Mount Harvey but we needed to go right. I asked Pete if we should wait here for the others but he said Glen and Tom both knew which way to go. Tom Skinner has done this trail now over 4 times but how soon we must forget because he ended up turning left towards Harvey. We waited at the water source for a while and I finally went back to look for him. Yelling "skinner" repeatedly at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing in front of me, I heard a voice back. There I waited and watched Tom descend from Harvey. We both ran back to fill up our packs. It wasn't long before we reached the first lake, where we had all been dreaming of diving into.




(Adam Way taking a dive)

It wasn't long before we started our descent back into the parking lot. After about an hour and a half we were back at the truck, coolers full of beer, salt and vinegar chips, and endurox!!!! We relaxed, changed clothes, re-fueled and were on our way. I was feeling a bit nauseous from all the gels (as per usual) and didn't really take in much except for the endurox. We drove back to Cypress and dropped everyone back at their cars. At this point I was starting to bonk (good thing I wasn't running). It was the same feeling I had when my mom came and got me in Powell River. We quickly hit a corner store and I downed some Bark's root beer. I haven't had root beer in ages. It totally brought me back to life but I chugged it way to fast and got indigestion. It wasn't long before we got to Taylor's crossing for some pizza!

I'll leave you with a few more pics of the day. I will be back September 16th to do it all over again! I guess I should mention that I didn't feel an once of pain on the entire hike/run. I am back in action and it felt so good to be running again. However, I am pretty sore today. Mostly in my quads because I haven't done any downhill running for a month!





Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Powell River Adventure

My family has a cabin in Glacier, Washington; located near Mount Baker. My dad has gone up there twice now and both times I said I would come up and both times I cancelled. I felt pretty bad about it and had to make it up to him. So, I decided that I'd bike up to Powell River to visit him (my mom also lives there, so it's a double wammy). He drove back from the cabin on Monday and picked up a bag of clothing from my house. That was awesome because biking up there with a full wod of clothing in my pack would have made it that much more grueling.

I have been a pretty irresponsible biker. Up until Sunday, I never rode with an xtra tube or a pump and I most certainly did not know how to change a tire (in case the occaion arose). I was shown once but had since forgotten. With that said, I was only using my bike to commute here and there and most rides were less than an hour. Here's the kicker- I have no pressure gage on my little pump at home and had been riding around with 30 psi in one tire and 50 psi in the other. To give you some perspective, there should be 115 psi in each tire! Before my sunday ride, I decided to make a pit stop at Steed Cycles. I asked the nice fellow to check my tire pressure for me. He pumped them up and then had me feel what a pumped tire should feel like. I was completly shocked to find out how flat my tires had been. Once I got back on the road, my ride felt completly different (so much smoother).


(Horseshoe Bay)

I trained 2 people Wednesday morning and set out at 10:15am to catch the 12:00pm Landale Ferry out of Horeshoe Bay. The ride was glorious and I was excited to be out in the beautiful sunshine. I arived with plenty of time to spare at the ferry. I enjoyed some lunch by the water and then headed to the terminal. There I met 2 other riders. Both were out for a casual bike ride, one heading to gibsons/return and the other to Sechelt/return. I had no bike lock and one of them graceously said I could bunk my bike up with his. I had not been on a ferry for quite some time and it was such a luxery to be laying on the top deck in the sun, with a good book, and the wind at my back. The ride to Landale went by in a flash. Looking back on my childhood ferry experiences, I swear it took hours to reach the other side. I met back up with the 2 guys and got my bike. The hill up to Gibson's is pretty damn steep. One of the guy's knew of a backroad that was less steep, that switchbacked all the way up to Gibsons. All 3 of us waited for the ferry traffic to die down and headed off together. We were all riding different speeds and it didn't take long before we parted ways.


(The seawall/boardwalk in Sechelt)

The ride from Gibon's to Sechelt was fun. The shoulder was great and I never felt nervous about biking a long the side of the road. It wasn't very hilly and it took me just over an hour to get there.


(The beach in Seachelt- busy day!)

My butt was starting to feel sore and all I could think about was exchanging my seat for something much more cushiony. I stopped in at the local bike shop (I know the owner Lidia) and talked to one of the guy's who was working. He said I had a pretty good seat and that it takes a couple weeks to get used to it. Since I have only been riding longer than an hour for the last week or so I decided that all I realy needed was a 'can of toughen up' and headed back on my way. Before I did, I filled up my bottles and ended up chatting with Gary (Lidia's husband). His opinion was that my handlebars needed to be raised. By being too low, it was forcing me to lean down too far and shifting the position of my butt on the seat. All I have heard from people is that you need to build up the calloses and toughen up the area! Thought's anyone? Perhaps I just needed to reaply some body glide and stop the chafing that occured.

It was 56 km to Earl's Cove and Gary said he has done it in under an hour. I sure hope he was lying because it took me about 2 hours and 20 minutes! The next section proved to be quite difficult. I am not used to eating on the bike and my impresion was that you ate less than running because your heart rate tends to be lower. Um...no. When the road is as damn hilly as it was- my heart rate was pretty high the entire time. It's deceiving though. Running at a HR of 160 feels much different than riding at 160. My food of choice yesterday was fig newtons and I'd eat one thinking I'd be good for a while but at only 60 calories a pop, I needed to eat more than one an hour. Nonetheless, I got to the point of being lightheaded a few times and quickly re-fueled and was on my way. The ride felt like it was going up and down without many flat sections. The hills were long and with a sore butt I just wanted to be at the next ferry. At one point this lady had pulled over in her austin mini. She waved at me, stuck her head out the window, and said "dorothy?". Unfortunetly I had to tell her the bad news and kept riding. She got back onto the road and pulled over about a minute later. I seriously contemplated asking her if she was going to the Powell River ferry and if so, could I catch a ride. But, as I approached the vehicle, I just kept riding.

All I could think about was chocolate milk, salt and vinegar chips, french fries,nachos and beer. There was a pub coming up called the Grasshopper about 22 km from the Ferry. I thought perhaps it would be nice to grab some food to stop my belly from growling. All the fig newtons were making me 'toot' on the bike, it was quite something. I decided to stop but just to re-fill my water bottles. I was cutting short on time and had to keep going. From the 22km sign, I wouldnt see another one until 6km left to go. I quickly remembered that there was a cafe/concession at the ferry terminal. They served up all sorts of good food and that inspired me to keep moving at a steady pace. I finally saw the 500m to ferry sign and smiled. I rode right up to the concession and grabbed a giant fudgecycle and sat outside and savoured every last lick of that thing.



When the ferry arrived (20 minutes later) I met another guy who was walking onto the Ferry. I am not sure how I do it but I manage to get people's life stories out of them in a matter of minuutes. He was from North Van (where I live) and went to one of the local high schools. He was married but him and his wife had recently separated and he moved to Powell River to live with his dad. They own a business out here and seem to be relativly busy. He wants to save money and travel. With all that said, I never got his name.

My mom was picking me up from the Ferry and it was great to see her. I was so happy to put my bike in the back of a car and just sit. I was starting to get really light headed and we stopped at the store so I could grab an orange juice (it always does the trick). Once I got back to the house, Jim had prepared crab legs, prawns, and clams. It was so delicious! I love coming here because he makes the best seafood. He gets it all fresh from the local area. I enjoyed some stella's with my meal on the patio. It was a long day but even with a sore butt it was well worth it.


(The view from our living room!!!)

As I sit here now, staring out at the amazing ocean view that exists right from the living room, I feel so calm and relaxed. I thank my parents for moving over here. If not, I would not have been introduced to such a wonderful place and I would not have met some of the genuine people they have made friends with. Tonight, Jim is making BBQ braised spareribs with beer and mustard glaze, accomponied by caramilized onion mash potatoes! Have I already mentioned that I love coming here. Tomorrow is the Postie Golf Tournament followed up by a big BBQ back at our house. I havent played golf in years so this should be quite embarassing.

P.S!!!!! My sport med doctor just gave me the ok to attempt a 30 min walk/run. You dont know how extatic I am right now. If all goes well, I'll be running Howe Sound Crest Trail on Sunday!!

See you in the trails really soon!!!

Friday, July 17, 2009

The Road to Recovery


(white river 50 miler 2008, will be missing it this year but will return again soon)

I am going to let you in on a little secret of mine. It's one of those secrets where at the end your going to say to yourself, "I didn't need to know this", but I am going to go ahead and tell you anyways. Every morning, when I am doing my 'biz' in the 'powder room' at home (I feel by using words such as "biz" and "powder room" it makes it all seem more polite) I have with me, my lap top. Some people may have along a magazine or a good book, me, I have my laptop! I usually dork out on facebook pictures or blogs, whatever is interesting me at the time. Something that involves little concentration and distracts me from the task at hand. Lately, I have been really into the writings of Anton Krupicka. He is a very talented writer and has been posting nearly everyday. He said something really interesting that resonated with me today. He was describing a time when he was injured and a newspaper called him and wanted a statement on what it felt like to run effortlessly: Here is an excerpt from his blog:

"Once, a Colorado Springs reporter called me in order to comment on this particular feeling, of the sensation of being so physically adroit at a given task that focus and consciousness seemingly cease to exist. Scratch that, seem to exist on a much higher plane, rather. At the time, I was living and going to school in Bozeman, MT. I was studying for a mid-term in the campus library, so I went outside to take the call. Except that I had to hang up because I needed to walk on crutches to leave the building. And my foot was in a boot because over a month earlier I had been experiencing one of those ineffable moments during a run when I stepped on a rock and something gave way in that foot and it would be months before it was right again and I would feel that way again. And there was frozen slush on the ground. And night was descending so it was bitterly cold out because it was Montana in the winter. And yet, the feeling he wanted me to describe is so non-subtle, so singular, that I had no problem conjuring the notion of the concept, despite being so far removed from experiencing it. Distance from the flow of running does not lessen the emotional impact it has on me; I never forget".

Right now, I am at the stage of healing from a fractured cuboid, which side note, the sport med doctor I am seeing has never ever seen this before! It's actually starting to feel good, i.e- no pain while walking and I am in the process of getting my very own moon boot (as I call it)! Like Anton, I too remember exactly what it feels like to run. The sensations and emotions I get before, during, and after running. I imagine what it will feel like to run again, to roam free in the mountains, to stand, open my arms and breath in the fresh air. I so can't wait for that moment. I picture myself running effortlessly and smiling ear to ear. I assume it will look something like this:



Until then however, me and the saddle have become quite good friends! I am even heading down to Deep Cove to go for a nice paddle today. I guess it's a day of paddling and saddling (ya that was corny!). Hope everyone has a great weekend as it's going to be glorious! Get out there and get in touch with the fantastic emotions that come out while being active in the outdoors.

Nic

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Knee Knacker 2009 crew recap


(Top 3 males)

The miracle I was hoping for, never happened. But, the funny thing was, I think people were more upset about the fact that I wasn't doing Knee Knacker, than I was. They would look at me with these pouty faces, which I tell you, made it a little harder to stay positive. But, that's what I do, and that's what I did, and it made not doing the race that much easier.

I loved being able to watch the race. Crewing Peter to a 5:37 (with his sister Kathleen) was one of the best experiences. I am sooooo proud of him it's crazy. Nor he, or I, expected him to come in that fast, and he deserves to still be on cloud 9 right now. He has crewed and supported me so many times and it was an honor being able to give back. I got to see the leaders over and over and it was neat getting to see things like, how long they took at aid stations and where they walked and hiked on course. I always wonder how those guys get such fast times and where I could make up time on them.


(Jen Mar, Bitsy, and Gina at the start)

Here is just a little race perspective from my point of view:


(Aaron Heidt coming into Cypress aid station)

Kathleen and I got to the Cypress Aid Station around 7:15. We weren't expecting peter for at least 30 minutes (based on his time estimation). The leaders started to come in. Aaron Heidt, who ended up setting the course record, came through first looking oh so very calm and collective, sparing no time at the aid station. The others came through shortly after and it wasn't long before Ellie Greenwood, the first female, came through. It wasn't but a minute later that Peter comes running towards the aid station. He was 14 minutes ahead of schedule and me and Kathleen quickly grabbed his extra camelbak and gels to swap over. He was in and out in 1 second and kept runnin'. Aaron Pitt unfortunately had to drop out here due to back spasms. I think he would have given the leaders a run for their money. The bugs on Cypress are horrendous, so if you are ever coming to spectate, wear bug spray, or a bug net like the camera man!


(Ellie Greenwood (1st female) coming into the Cypress aid station)

We hurried off to Cleveland Dam aid station where we would see them all next. It was great catching up with a lot of past racers that I knew and wives/girlfriends of the runners. Again, Aaron came in first and was in and out in a matter of seconds. From here on out, the order of runners up front remained the same. Ellie came in, fueled up, and was out. Peter was again only a minute behind her at this point. With a quick exchange of gels and a pack, he was off. Kathleen and I headed towards mosquito creek. He had told us to meet him at skyline aid station but we were both confused on where that was. We decided to head to mosquito and wait there. It was here that I tried my first salmon berry. I must say, they aren't for me, and I was nervous that they were going to do something fierce to my insides, but she assured me they were harmless. Gary came through, keeping a strong pace, but not looking like he was having the time of his life, and the same racers followed. Ellie came through and Pete had closed the gap to under a minute. He not so nicely told us that we were in the wrong spot, grabbed his stuff, and kept going. It was weird, his camelbak was full. I started to get nervous that he wasn't drinking anything but later found out that because we were in the wrong spot (only by 3 minutes) that he couldn't risk not having water and stopped to fill it up.


(Gary Robbins @ Cypress aid station)

Onto the Gazebo! This aid station was great and was packed with volunteers, almost too many. After coming off of Pipeline Bridge there is a mini hill up to the aid station. I have done various things in the past. I've walked it one year, walked/run, and I think one year I may have ran. Every single one of the racers walked it. I just found it interesting and would have assumed the opposite. Racers were taking a little bit longer to leave this aid station. I know for me, I try to get in and out as fast as possible and I certainly don't waste any time. At this point your at the 3/4 mark and depending on how your feeling, a break may be well needed. We had pete's stuff all ready and this time he had requested a hand held bottle of coca cola. He usually doesnt drink coke this early but wanted us to have it just in case. He came in about 20 seconds behind Ellie and grabbed the pack, gels, and did in fact want the bottle of coke. This made me nervous. I guess in my mind I thought, he must be hurting if he wants coke this early. But, off he went and off we went to meet him at the Hyannis aid station.

Again the racers came in perfectly in order but Pete was a little bit farther behind Ellie than I would have thought. I was most certain that he was starting to fade and got nervous. His sister assured me that he was fine and that he would come in any minute now, which he did. He had drank his entire bottle full of coke and we traded off for another. We quickly drove to Mt. Seymour road, where we would see them all again. Gary Robbins came through and looked good and was wondering how far the next person was in front of him. The aid station volunteer told him 20 minutes. I could see in his eyes that it would almost be impossible to catch the next guy. The gaps between people were growing. One guy from Kelowna or Kamloops had some girl running with him. I was shocked because I know you are not allowed pacers in this race. I asked who the girl was and he said she was there for moral support. For some reason this made me pissed but I quickly got my mind onto other things and forgot all about it. There hadn't been a runner in a while and I was getting impatient and ran/walked (I'm gibbled remember) up the hill to find Peter. I quickly ran into Mike Palichuck and cheered as he passed. Ellie was next and I again cheered for her. As she passed me she told me she was "done". I told her to keep chasing down those men! Peter wasn't too far behind. I ran a bit ahead of him and asked him how he was doing. I think I had to ask him about 4 times before he said he was cramping a little. I knew he wouldn't be interested in chatting with me, but he hadn't all day and I just wanted a few words. I let him pass, as I could not run down the hill, and he motored through the aid station. I wouldn't see him again until the finish.

I was suppose to order a pizza for Pete while we were at that aid station but I had totally forgot. I quickly called and got the order in and we drove down to the Raven to wait for it. Once we got there, they said it was only going to be about 6 minutes. I think it took a little but longer than that and we were growing increasingly nervous. He was to be in any minute now. Kath had called her husband to see who was crossing the line and John Foy had just come in. Peter was only about 5 minutes from John throughout the race and we were just freakin'. The pizza finally came, we drove down, parked illegally, and made it in time to see him. Ellie was coming through and had passed 2 guys that had been in front of her all day. I was super impressed. She ran strong throughout the entire race and pushed it right to the end. It wasn't long before Peter was coming down the road. I walked up about 200 meters to see him come down the road before he starts the 100 meter sprint finish. I gave him some words of encouragement as he came through and he crossed the line, looking so strong. This was by far, one of the best races I have ever seen him do. He nailed everything, from his pace, to his nutrition. If you talk to him, he will tell you he could have run faster, as he still power hiked a lot of it. I think in any race it always feels like you could improve in some facet or another.

I have learned that after races, Peter needs time to walk around and get himself together. I waited for him to come to me, and I gave him a big big sweaty hug. I couldn't have been more proud! So many people I know ran personal best's today. My co-worker Jen Mar took an hour and 40 minutes off her time!!!! She was so happy. Jurgen Watts finally broke the 7 hour mark, and he bonked! Bitsy Delany had a PB. Congrats to Adam and Meredith, rocking it on their first attempt, looking so happy as they crossed the line. Hats off to everyone who completed the race. Hope to see you back next year!

The Banquet at Parkgate Community Center was fantastic. It's great to catch up with the racers and here all about their day. The food was amazing; thanks Tommy's Catering! After the horrible food last year, the Knee Knacker team needed to get a new caterer. I used to and still do on occasion cater for Tommy's. Their food is to die for and I put them in contact with each other. It worked out perfectly. There was also a little surprise at the banquet. Bill Dagg's girlfriend went up to get her certificate and finish photo and Bill run's up to her, get's down on one knee, and proposes!!!! It was nuts and so exciting! Congrats.



Thanks to Honey Donuts;I thoroughly enjoyed the donuts this year. They always look so good but after doing the race, they never taste quite right. Can't wait to come back and do it next year. Whether you are watching or running, it's always such an amazing memorable experience.

As for me- It's time to head to the gym and get my elliptical trainer on. I honestly have never been on one. The one time I attempted many years ago, I couldn't figure out how to work it, got off, and have never returned. I guess there is no time like the present! I find out today or tomorrow the results of my MRI. Hopefully, it is all good news and I'll be back running in the trails in no time. I do miss them!

Nicola

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

I need a miracle!

I have never seen so many Doctor's in my life. In fact, I hate going to the Doctor. It is a very foreign thing to me. But, this time, I just wanted someone to tell me what was wrong with my foot. After multiple chiro adjustments on my cuboid, the pain was pretty much the same. After my 28 minute run yesterday,I pretty much ruled out that all I had was a subluxed cuboid. I went to see Dr. Bovard, a sport med doctor that was HIGHLY recommended. He had me do all sorts of things and he didn't think I had a stress fracture...THANK GOD! He referred me to someone else but I ended up going to see Dr. Paul Wiggins. He poked and prodded at my foot and although I do have a hypermobile cuboid and SUPER TIGHT peroneals, he thinks that I have sprained the ligaments around the area. So, unless a miracle happens, I am not going to be doing Knee Knacker! Which also means, I won't be doing White River 50 miler (which isn't the end of the world because there is a massage course I really need to attend that weekend).

Although, I was REALLY looking forward to seeing what I could throw down on the course this year, there is always another race, and another Knee Knacker. Not to mention, I really want to get myself back to form so I can do TransRockies with Peter in August. I have flirted with the option of walking/hiking the knee knacker! Funny enough, hiking and running downhill don't bother it...that's half the race itself!!! If I can do that pain free, I will! Why miss out on a beautiful day.

See you in the trails!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Subluxed Cuboid Bone- I love saying that!

I haven't written all week. Maybe it's because tapers are a relaxing time and aren't spent doing any crazy adventures. Last Saturday I was running solo and cranked my right foot running down a rocky section of Baden Powell. I roll my ankles on occasion but I swear they are made of spaghetti and spring right back into perfect form after a few seconds. I continued to run without any discomfort as well as I ran 3 hrs 30 mins the next day again w/o any pain. However, when I woke up Monday morning, I was in bad shape. My right foot was totally sore on the lateral side and I was unable to move without a slight limp. I always knew that one of these days my ankle rolling "free of pain" days would come to an end and eventually one would get me. Well, it did, and it is a bit unfortunate because Knee Knacker is 6 days away!

I spent the week biking to and from work, no long rides but I kept active. With rest, my foot wasn't getting any better. I iced it a few times with no change. I would try and run everyday but would make it about 10 ft only to realize it wasn't going to happen today. I did the Grouse Grind Thursday, which felt great, and for the first time this year I took the gondola down (normally I run down). I climbed Friday night, went for a hike up Lynn Peak Saturday and managed to run down relatively pain free. Sunday I managed to hike up a new trail to the top of Dam Mountain and back down BCMC. I even ran a few parts without to much discomfort. Each day feels similiar to the last.

I had mentioned my situation to Gary Robbins at work the other day and he thought I probably had a subluxed cuboid bone. I googled it on my computer and I pretty much have all the symptoms. I went to Jen Turner at Moveo and she did some ART on it and made a few adjustments. There was no change after this session however, but I have learned that 1 session does not guarantee instant relief. It may take a few more! I probably should have seen her as soon as it started to hurt but what can you do. I just read that anti-inflammatory drugs may help, so I just popped some back. I am going to get an x-ray tonight and best case scenario it is just a subluxed cuboid. I am hoping really hoping it is not fractured.

In the meantime though, I have really enjoyed the down time, hiking, and climbing. The bum foot has made me realize how important it is to have other hobbies to keep me smiling. When we were in the car on the way to Grouse I actually saw my HR at 44 bpm. I know it can go that low but recently during my peak weeks it is around 51-52 bpm. Perhaps, I have been running, not truly recovered, but I am now! So, if in a few days I can run again, I will be ready to rock. But if not, it won't be the end of the world. There is always another race! Life is long!

Wish me luck!