track fan

~35-40` + ~6 miles mountain biking

Ran from the starting line of the race to the water stop (that I worked at) and back.  It was about 80F so we did use more water than I had ever seen for a 5K.  It was a little bit of work because the tables and water that had been left earlier in the morning got stolen!!  I felt bad for the race director.  Since I was out at the 1.5 mile mark, I don't know exactly what the winning time was, based on the split when they came to me it was somewhere in the low 15's with the woman's winner maybe in the high 18's maybe the low 19's (based on her 1/2 way split).  

So, I only fell once today on my bike.  It was a doozy though, I don't think I actually broke my arm, but it is swollen nearly twice the size in about a 10 x 3" section and is already about 4 different colors of black, blue and red.  That is what hurts the most (well, besides my dignity), I got a nice "dirt rash" on my leg too ... but that just looks very studly.  I am just not sure I am cut-out for this stuff, too many things to think about at one time, braking, shifting, peddling!!  I was pretty scared coming down the steeper sections, even though it was cool and my bike did a great job getting over rocks and through ditches.

I am just SO proud and happy for everyone for their races yesterday.  Even people who had tough days were so inspiring with their stories.  Thank you for sharing!!   

1:03:03 (32:14/30:49) - a little longer than 7, but not quite 7.5.  It just felt so good to be running today!!!  I did not mind the heat (80F) at all, I think mountain biking and just being outside the past couple of weeks have really help me acclimate even though I wasn't running in it.  I expected this run to not feel well since it was my longest run in 15 days ... but I felt great -- I wanted to run longer.

My arm was throbbing like crazy, I can still make a fist, but it is not easy because my whole forearm and hand is swollen -- I spent most of Sunday night and yesterday debating on whether or not to go to the clinic and get it x-rayed ... in the end I decided it is just too hot for a cast so I am going to try to live without (though I need to find some sort of protective brace when I bike again (hopefully Thursday) in case I fall again (I don't want it to get any worse).  I am pretty sure it is cracked though, it looks like what is called a "nightstick fracture" (from putting your arm up to protect your face when a stick or something is coming down on you).  I think what happened was when I fell (on my left side -- you can tell because of the rocks and debris in my leg and the huge bruise on my hip) my handlebars flew up against my forearm. 

It is interesting, on Saturday I had a really tough session with the ART therapist who worked on my hip and left large bruises up and down my right leg ... now from the fall my left side is bruised (much larger bruises) ... I look pretty banged up right now!!  I feel tough.  I don't have time to relish my studliness though, I am giving a huge talk tomorrow (it will be televised locally) that I have to prepare for ...

Have a great day bloggers!

~36:00.  Easy run on Dean's "4" mile route (really much more like 4.25 or so). 

My talk went ok.  It wasn't bad considering I did not have as much time to polish it (and practice it) as I would have liked.  All the grant submissions cut into my best laid plans when I agreed to do this talk 4 months ago.  I have not watched the video tape of it ... I am not sure I want to know how it came out.
 

Last of the planned "goose-eggs". Next week will be an almost normal week of running, with long run and everything - yippee. I was planning on riding my bike into work today, but my arm is still hurting pretty badly so I am going to get it checked out tomorrow (and likely get some sort of splint for it) - I don't want to ride again until I have some protection for my arm. And, I am going to switch out the clipless peddles for a little while, even though it will mean I won't be getting quite as good of a workout. My weight is holding steady, haven't lost yet, but haven't gained any either. I am still confident (best laid plans again) that I can get down 3-5 pounds by fall ... especially if I bicycle to work a few days a week. I would love to be in the 125-128 range by the 10 mile race in the fall.

Happy Thursday bloggers!

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Update... my arm is not broken (yea - even my almost 47 year old bones are pretty tough!).  The x-ray was very cool it was digital, very crisp.   He showed me where the muscle was "distorted" - he called it a "severe soft tissue injury". 

Two things about the visit, first was I met a woman in the waiting area that is a runner, and has a running group that meets on Tuesday and Saturdays.  The Tuesday runs are on trails near a state park that I tried to run in the first weekend we moved here -- we couldn't find any good "runnable" trails (they were either super rocky or sand) -- so this will be cool to run with some people who can show me around the trails.  I am excited.  The second thing was the doctor was a runner (the woman had told me) - so I told him about cross-training as I recover from the marathon and he just looked at me and said, "cycling is dangerous, why would want to do that?".  He described some exercises he wanted me to do to make sure I don't lose any muscle mass as my arm heals he said, "and the good news is you can run".  When I asked him if I could ride this week - he just said, "why don't you just run?" -- ha ha ha, my kind of doctor.

1:05:03 (32:53/32:09).  Did not feel quite as good as Tuesday, but still great to be running again!  

Interesting (to me), yesterday I got a package from the Eugene marathon people.  It was a plaque for 3rd place in the 45-49 year old age group.  I wrapped it back up and sealed it and placed on the table to send back to them so that the actual 3rd place finisher would get her award.  I emailed the race director and told him about the mistake (I also offered to give him my list of excuses for not getting 3rd place ;-) ).  He mailed me back and told me that the first place finisher had won overall masters and was not eligible for an age group award.  Kind of bittersweet.  I don't generally display my trophy's anyway, but there are some that I fondly get out of the box every now and then just to remind myself of the day, I don't think this one will be one of those, because really I got 4th place not 3rd.   

Have a wonderful, and safe, Memorial Day weekend bloggers.

Good luck to all those racing  this weekend!

35:31.  Felt really really good today. It was all I could do not to keep running.  I am getting very excited about doing a long run next weekend.

Off to get bruised.

Happy weekend bloggers!