Killing The Blues

I drove to my 6 week post op appointment today. This is the first time I've driven since I was admitted to the hospital. They took a few x-rays before the appointment. It looks like I have a spatula in my femur, attached with screws. My surgeon said everything is progressing normally and I can now use a stationary bicycle along with swimming. He also said in about three months I could probably test out running a little, but nothing ridiculous like a sprint or long distances. I was pretty psyched about the go-ahead for stationary bike riding. He also gave me a referral for physical therapy, which will most likely be a lot of stretching.

Tonight my husband and I are going to a concert. This time it's Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, together. We bought the tickets months ago, and it's a sold out show. My son and his "friend" will be going, too. The venue is at Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay, a smaller, outdoor venue that I've talked about before. We purchased the dinner/room package again, and we're really looking forward to it.

No official workout today, but I'm busting my butt cleaning the house.

Yesterday's song:
Walk This Way - Aerosmith and/or Run DMC - Simply Pink

PEACE

Walk This Way

Activity:	Walk
Date:	06/29/08 01:04 PM
Distance:	1.28 miles
Time:	0:47:01
Speed:	1.6 mph
Pace:	37' 30 min/mile
Calories:	1 31

Even though I really didn't feel like it, I went for a walk with my husband and grandson. I felt like I needed to burn off some of that chocolate cake from the other day. Since we had the kid with us, we walked down to the Volkswagen dealership so he could look at the pretty new cars. I got in some hills, too. I wanted to make sure I put in at least one mile, and we did, plus a little extra. I guess, no matter how much I don't feel like it right now, I need to keep at it, every day.


Yesterday's song:
Everybody I Love You - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

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Everybody I Love You

I had every intention of delving into more books this summer, but one of the pain medications I was (and still am) using takes my attention span to that of a flea with ADD. The days I am more clear minded have been spent making an attempt to read more than just magazines and random stuff on the internet. One of the books I've just finished is I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies) The Tales of a Loudmouth Girl by Lauie Notaro. This book was lent to me by my hair dresser. It's a good, light summer book. A chapter is very doable if you're strapped for time or, in my case, dealing with drug induced flea ADD, and a chapter is all I can deal with and remember. Laurie Notaro talks about her mother frequently in this book, and often quotes her. I was actually quite surprised when one of the quotes in the book was something my own mother said to my sister. I just about died laughing because it was so spot on, especially a reference to truck drivers and prostitutes.

Back when I was still living at home, and Mom was still around, my sister, who was probably about 12 or 13 years old at the time, said a very, VERY bad word. My mother overheard this word and scolded my sister, saying "who do you think you are?" "With a mouth like that do you think your mother's a prostitute and your father's a truck driver?" I had to leave the room because it was so funny, I burst out laughing. Later on, my sister was also laughing, but we didn't let Mom know. Mom would have been even more upset that we were laughing... To this day we're still laughing.

Real good times.

Today I also ventured out into the world. My husband and I went for a walk. I took my cell phone and turned on the BiM GPS to track my walk. This is the first longish walk I've taken since the marathon, when we had to walk from the parking area to the water table and back, and I was using a walker at that time.

Activity:	Walk
Date:	06/28/08 11:11 AM
Distance:	0.93 miles
Time:	0:30:06
Speed:	1.8 mph
Pace:	33' 20 min/mile
Calories:	88

I had taken pain meds, had my cane, and had to remind Michael to go slow. My neighborhood is hilly, and it was difficult to even navigate walking down hill a little. Wow. It took me about a half hour to burn off 88 calories and barely go one mile! I sure have my work cut out , don't I? Will I be even be running by fall? That's all besides the point at the moment. Each day is a little better. Each day I'm limping less. Each day is less painful.

Yesterday's song:
Yummy - Gwen Stefani

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Yummy

I like cake. There's no secret about it. It's not like I eat cake constantly, and I probably can count on one hand the times I've had an entire piece for myself this year. I'm not sure exactly why, but I did not have cake for my birthday this year. I had one bite of a brownie the day before when we went out with the family. On the actual day of my birthday, we ended up at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner, and they really don't have cake. The catch is that I'm allergic to dairy, so cheesecake is out. They had an apple crisp, put the ala mode in a different dish for my husband, and stuck a candle in the crisp, which was OK but it still wasn't cake. Even when I went out with the gang from work, there was no cake. It's still June and still my birthday month, and I asked my husband to PLEASE go get a good chocolate cake, and none of that cheap cake with Crisco frosting crap that I always scrape off. Chocolate cake with real chocolate frosting was in order. My husband sent my son to Von's (Safeway) for the very much wanted confection. My son did well with the cake selection. As he walked in the door, I exclaimed, "Who wants cake? I do!" And then sang, to the tune of happy birthday "Chocolate caaaake for me." Everyone pretty much ignored me, but I was in total bliss. You'd think I'd never had cake before. It was delicious.

Yesterday's song:
Camera Obscura - Enigma

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Camera Obscura

It's not like I'm trying to rush things, well, OK, perhaps a little, but the past month (which felt like an eternity for me since I'm not doing much) is almost over. The Fourth of July holiday is just next week. Nablopomo just sent me an e-mail saying that July's theme is food. I guess I missed the June theme memo, which had to do with home - and I was certainly at home. I can deal with food. Perhaps I can get some cool photos of food, now that I'm up to speed on my food photography tips out of the July 2008 issue of Popular Photography magazine. Maybe I can even draw food. I could even post recipes.

Speaking of photography, my husband went and purchased his own DSLR camera. Costco.com had a pretty good deal on an Olympus E-510 with two lenses. The camera is probably about 3 generations up from mine, is much lighter and has more bells and whistles than mine does. The cool thing is that the lenses that came with this camera have a wider angle than the ones I have. However, the telescopic lens of my camera has more distance range than his, so we can swap lenses as needed. One of the features the E-510 has is a way to do panoramic type photos, using a larger media card or flash drive and software that came with the camera. This feature will be useful in photos of city blocks or longer buildings, and that's an important feature for someone like my husband, who depends heavily on visuals for potential clients. Now we're both happy with our cameras, and I hope mine will no longer go missing.

Yesterday's song:
Girls - Beastie Boys - Barbie2be

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Girls

... and one guy.

Here's the pictures from the office birthday party last week.

Imagine my surprise when my entire office showed up at my house in a limo.

No, seriously, THAT was the limo...

Presents!

The birthday girls.

All of us! (The "Man Doctor" was taking the picture.)

Yesterday's song:
All Figured Out - Bowling For Soup

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All Figured Out

My father recently went to Chicago to attend the college graduation of my eldest nephew Brandon. It was a very proud moment for the family. Brandon graduated with honors and received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science. His younger brother, Kyle, commented to my father that he should not expect a big deal college graduation from him. Instead, he plans on becoming a famous actor, and having some school of higher learning or university bestow upon him an honorary degree. My dad said actually said that sounded like a good idea. Knowing Kyle, that scenario is more likely to happen than not. Yes, he is THAT cocky, and he knows it. That's Kyle pictured above.


Yesterday's song:
The Hardest Part - Coldplay - Run-DMZ

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Photo from Ian Merritt - ian@idmphotography.com

The Hardest Part

Bean push-ups - 5 sets of 30
Bicep Curls - 4 sets of 25, using two 5# dumbbells
Bean abs crunches - 2 sets of 50 and one set of 100
Triceps - dumbbell extensions - 3 sets of 30 using one 5# dumbbell
Pelvic tilts

I'm feeling rather wimpy with the 5# dumbbells, especially when I used to think nothing of using 30# and higher dumbbells for the same exercises. Right now it's baby steps. It's all about high reps and low weights, until I can get the muscles used to everything again. I suppose I can go up to the next weight increment, but I want to make sure I have this all down to the point it's super, super easy and can do double of what I'm doing now with a 5# weight.

I'm making an attempt at yet another protein powder. I've tried Muscle Milk Lite because it's lactose free and it seem to be working out OK. No splotchy breakouts or other weird reactions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one. I've tried several brands but most are made with whey protein, and that's the main culprit of my breakouts. I also do OK with soy protein, but I have to get creative with how I use it.

This past weekend was also a big weekend for run events. Kudos to Michelle who participated in her first triathlon and probably still has a huge grin on her face, to Anne and her daughter for running as a team in in the Aflac Iron Girl 5k, to AKA Alice - who was also at the same event and ran the 10K, to Barbie2be who participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for life, and to Waddler26.2 for doing an amazing job at her Triathlon and finished strong. I was able to live vicariously through them and their event stories on their blogs. I wanted to be there, too.

"The hardest part is letting go, not taking part."

Yesterday's song:
Heat Of The Moment - Asia - Step Away From The Cake

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Heat Of The Moment

When you do not have air conditioning in your house, you get by with the jumbo sized box of sugar free Popsicles and oscillating fans, which is what I resorted to yesterday. Yes, it was the first day of summer, but it was on the very toasty side, even for my part of town, which is usually a good 10 degrees cooler than it is inland.

Once the sun went down, my husband invited a couple of friends over. One is my husband's high school buddy CM and the other is our friend Sam. CM is currently recovering from a nasty bicycle accident that resulted in several broken bones, including his back. (Yeah, we compared injury notes.) He has also dabbled in playing the drums throughout the years, and he even played with his band at our wedding (back in '82.) CM is now back to riding his bike and drumming again. Sam is also a musician. He is a self-taught guitar player, and can play the most beautiful Spanish ballads and sings. Our son took advantage of this situation and cleaned up the garage area where he keeps his drum kit and guitars... I don't know why I didn't take pictures because it was the cleanest I've ever seen it.

We had our own personal concert last night, plus fireworks from the not so distant Sea World, ice cold beers and barbecued steaks, etc. My son was just besides himself because it has been extremely hard for him to find someone who really knows how to play the drums. My son would begin playing a song and CM would add the drum beat. Sam also had a turn at the electric guitars, which took some getting used to (he normally plays acoustic guitars) and before long, Sam was singing and playing the lead of a Spanish ballad, my son was playing rhythm and ad libbing some rifts, and CM was keeping beat with his awesome drumming technique. I was in awe. This was one of those times where everything just fell into place, and we had one of the best evenings.

Sunday, today, is also warm, but not nearly as warm as it was yesterday. My in-laws wanted the family to meet for brunch at a place along the bay, to celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary. I'd like to say that it was great, but it was just OK. The point of the brunch was getting everyone together, which is hard to do. There were a few no shows, including my daughter who was scheduled to work. The scenery was lovely, as we were able to watch the sail boats go by as we dined.

In recoup news, I'm getting around better, but I still need the cane. The pain is lessening, but some days are better than others. Pain medications come in real handy. I'll be checking out morning pool hours this week and see if I can get myself swimming, somewhere.

Yesterday's song:
Saturday - Fall Out Boy - Run-DMZ

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Photo from Gibson.com

Saturday

Mine is hot and toasty... Hope yours was a good one! Be cool.

Yesterday's Song:
Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond - Simply Pink

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Song Sung Blue

Dang. I knew it. Where was the physic table on career day back in high school?

Your Aura is Blue

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor

What Color Is Your Aura?

Yesterday's song:
Dangerous But Worth The Risk - Ratt

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Dangerous But Worth The Risk

On more than one occasion I've had to explain how my injury came to be. I've often joked that I should just print out a card that explains everything. Inevitably, someone will tell me that the reason they don't run is because of all the injuries that happens with running. I usually don't respond to that particular comment, but when I do respond I become quite passionate in defending my sport. More recently, it was someone who is quite athletic who said they don't run because of injuries like mine. Isn't there risk of injury participating in any sport? This same person has hiked up parts of Mount Kilimanjaro, gone white river rafting, plays in recreational league sports, and surfs, amongst other athletic endeavors. Isn't there risk of injury in all of those activities? I know more people who were injured while skiing, playing soccer, or driving (for that matter) than with running. When you get out of bed in the morning you face some sort of risk right away. I'm not suggesting that we all walk around covered in bubble wrap and helmets, either. We're human and we do get injured. What I am saying is that there is risk of injury with any sport, no matter how careful we think we are. I've even discussed my running with some of my doctors, and they all say it is better to keep running than to not run, that the benefits outweigh the risks. I also believe that everyone needs to find that activity that works best for them, and I would never impose running on someone, either. I always tell people to find something, some activity that brings them a sense of well being and joy. On that same note, don't diss my running, either, and try to scare me about injury, because I'm living it right now -- It's the risk I took. Running gives me that sense of well being and joy, and when I'm able, I'll be out there running again, risking it all.


Photo from Photobucket.com

Yesterday's Song
(Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon - Barbie2be

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(Just Like) Starting Over

Today I made an attempt at some sort of real workout and tracking my nutrition. I feel like I'm starting from scratch with everything. It's such a weird feeling.



As we all know, part of accountability is putting everything in writing, no matter how lame it seems. I have to work back up to everything. Lower body anything is tough, even with pain medications. So here it is...

Bean push ups - 3 sets of 20
sort of bench dips - 3 sets of 20
Bicep curls with two 5# weights - to failure - about 50+ reps
Bean Abs - 4 sets of 50
Bean hamstring exercises - 1 set of 15

I'm using The Bean because it helps to alleviate pressure on the sore leg and I can work just on the upper body. I was hopeful that it would work the same for any lower body workout, but not quite. I need to figure out how to fit in some LBW exercises with out added stress to the leg, and I'm sure that will be all pool exercises. I should be able to get into a pool now but it's a matter of getting to a pool, and I'm not driving yet. I tried to convince my husband that a swimming pool was medically necessary and we should install one, but that didn't go over too well.

I've been tracking my food on Fitday. Nutrition was so-so. Calorie wise it's easy to stay on track, but it's the carbohydrate/ protein/fat ratios that are throwing me off. I need a higher protein to carbohydrate ratio right now, since I'm not running, and that's difficult, since I've been used to more carbohydrates in a runner's diet. I'm still coming out carb heavy.

My weight has remained relatively stable, but my body fat percentage has gone up, which means I've lost muscle. My clothes are even fitting differently. Ever since I've been weight training (about 10 years off and on) I've realized that the scale number is only a part of the equation. Body fat percentage changes everything. I'm even feeling extra fluffy and I've lost muscle tone in my legs already. I definitely feel like I'm starting from scratch. I'm just about at the point of taking those dreaded before pictures again, just to remind myself of what I need to do. Blech, but they do work.

In other news, I got my husband's Ipod shuffle to work. It hadn't worked since the marathon. He poured water over his head and forgot about wearing the Ipod -- It shorted out. I'm not sure what I did to make it work again, well, besides plugging it into it's charger and dropping it a couple of times, but it's back, and that thrills me because I know my new Ipod would go missing, the same way my camera goes missing, the same way my car goes missing...

Yesterday's song:
Get The Party Started - Pink - Barbie2be

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Get The Party Started

I've made a little discovery... One of the pain medications that I was so bent on not taking because I thought it made me drowsy at first, actually gets me a little amped, plus takes away the soreness/pain. I'm able to put a little more effort into working out, as long as I don't push myself too hard. I'm not sure what kind of workout I'll do today, but it feels good knowing I can do a little more.

Last night was the office birthday party for one of the doctors, a coworker, and me. Our birthdays are within a week of each other, and it's only logical to do one party for the three of us. I wish I had pictures, and I hope they send me some, because they picked me up at my house in the most obnoxious limo ever. It was a Hummer limo from a sports drink company with their logo all over it, and huge pictures of two Bavarian-esque ladies on the side. One of the doctors knows the person who drives the limo and was able to get it for the occasion. Of course, it had the tacky disco interior, complete with fiber-optic ceiling lights that changed colors. It was so funny. We had a blast, though. Oh, and the doctors gave me some cool gifts. I received the New York City Ballet Workout DVD set, a baseball cap that says my work name (Eyeball) on it, and an Ipod shuffle. They even had it engraved. The print is so tiny it was hard to read, (so I used my macro setting to take a picture of it) but it's so cool...



I was so surprised! My coworkers gave me the new Cooking Light cookbook, a really nice blouse and a pair of white gold hoop earrings. This was also the first night I was able to have salad and have one alcoholic beverage, now that I'm off one of the meds. (I made sure I wasn't on the pain meds for a couple of days just so I could have one drink.) It was a very good evening and couldn't have come at a better time.

Yesterday's song:
Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx - Barbie2be


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Right Here Waiting

We had a great father's day weekend. Someone else took pictures at the barbecue at my sister-in-law's house, which is why I haven't posted any pictures YET. I'm still waiting for the e-mail with those pictures.

I also had a birthday celebration with the office, for 3 June birthdays, including mine, but I'm waiting on pictures from that event. We rode in the most obnoxious limo ever, but it was hysterical...

One thing I'm no longer waiting for is a Bistro table and chairs for the front porch. It was supposed to be a Mother's Day present, but my husband waited too long and the one we originally selected was no longer available. Now it just needs assembly, which I need to wait for someone else to do, because it's too heavy for me at the moment... *sigh*





Yesterday's song:
Father & Son - Cat Stevens - AKA Alice

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Father & Son

Several years ago


More recent


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Yesterday's song:
The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies - Miss Rachel

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The Air That I Breathe

Just in case you were wondering...


OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets


Yesterday's song:
Show and Tell - Al Wilson

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Show And Tell

When most kids get a sticker at a doctor's visit, they usually put the stickers on their shirt or bring it home to put in a book. Evan chose to wear his sticker, right below his shot boo-boo.
Just so you all know, that's a Masarati he's holding. Evan requested that I mention his car.

Yesterday's song:
The Winner Takes It All - Abba - Diary of an Aspiring Loser

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The Winner Takes It All

I don't watch a ton of TV, but I'm hooked on shows like Bravo TV's Top Chef, which wrapped up season 4 with their winner, Stephanie. I honestly felt season 3 of Top Chef better, but this season kept me watching as well. Stephanie was the least controversial of the contestants. I was hoping Stephanie would pull out some tricks at the end and win, although Richard often had some techniques that even the master chefs who were judging didn't know about, and he was just an all around nice guy. I still can't figure out how Lisa made it to the final three, but I guess she just happened to squeak by when a more talented chef just happened to mess up just a little bit more than she did. I was intrigued by the soup she made for the finale, as the judges kept saying how wonderful it was. I really wanted to have a bite of Stephanie's roasted lamb medallions, which is what won the judges over.

Every time I watch shows like Top Chef, I get itchy to attempt making something just a little bit different, or I'll look at restaurant food with a more critical eye. It happens every time.

Now that season 4 of Top chef is over, I'm (once again) eagerly awaiting the next season of Project Runway, which premiers next month. I know. I'm a dork.

Yesterday's song:
Dress You Up - Madonna - Barbie2be

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Dress You Up

I sort of had a melt down today. Normally, I don't have melt downs because I can go out and run before something like that can happen, as I normally get to use running as my release, and I can pound out any problem on the pavement. I'm starting to go stir crazy, and now that running is not an option, I'm about to explode. I know I can't rush things, but I'm not dealing well right now, today. I just can't go out for a run and clear my head. I can't go anywhere and clear my head, I'm not even back to driving. I'm trying to put a positive spin on all of this, you know, looking ahead, beyond the injury and the healing, things will get better, but I live in the present,and right now it sucks...

There. I've said it. It does suck. It's not like I'm overly feeling sorry for myself or having a pity party. It's not a case of poor me because I know how fortunate I am. I have all this energy that I can't use. I did ponder throwing my kitchen dishes against the wall, but then I'd have to clean up the mess and buy new dishes... Playing fetch with the dog seemed like good idea (I'd get to throw something) but the dog wore out pretty fast. I also thought about going to the batting cages, but batting requires hip movement. I wished I were still making pottery, at least that way I could wedge the clay (requires throwing wet clay really hard at a concrete surface), or break down some greenware that I didn't plan on using anyway. I should ask my daughter if Walmart still has some sort of punching bag in stock because punching pillows just doesn't cut it... I just need to hold out for one more week and THEN I can start swimming.

To remind myself of better times ahead, I did retry on the silk floral dress I bought at Banana Republic on Monday. It was one of those dresses that I wasn't sure would look good on until I tried it on. Now I need to go undergarment shopping, since none of my bras work with this dress, since the straps cross in the back... and I need new strappy black sandals that I might be able to walk in... and a pedicure, because my toes aren't very pretty right now, and heaven knows I need to have my toes look good in strappy black sandals.

Yesterday's song:
All About Me - Matt Dusk - Barbie2be

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All About Me

I've been tagged by AKA Alice - Heffer Blog for a running meme.

Tagging is easy. Just copy the following onto your post. The rules of the game are posted at the start of your blog post. In this case, I'm asking you 5 questions about running. Each player answers the 5 questions on their own blog. At the end of your post you tag 5 other people and post their names. Go to their blogs and leave a comment on their blogs telling them they've been tagged and to look at your blog for details. When they've answered the questions on their own blog, they come back to yours to tell you. Got that? (Yeah, I stole the verbiage off of AKA Alice's blog.)

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
Me? Running? Yikes. 10 years ago, yesterday, I was in a car accident - right on my 39th birthday. My left hand was injured and required surgery. I wasn't running but I thought I was relatively active. I was also about 15 pounds overweight, and after the accident I put on 15 more pounds just about right away.

2. What is your best/worst running experience?
Hmmm... There's a few that fall into the *best* category , but one that stands out was when I lived near Lake Murray and I was training for my second Rock 'n' Roll marathon, running back and forth on the lake path in the cool, early morning until I got to around 20 miles. After about the third time around the lake, a group of women who were taking a leisurely walk, who I passed a couple of times took notice, and one of them said "there goes that girl again. I'll bet she really didn't do all that running and she just went to Starbucks for a hot chocolate." That made me laugh and it made me feel good that somebody noticed. I also have to add the one and only time I placed in my age group in a 5k run. It was at the Annual Coronado Independence day 5k-15k. I'm not sure why, but that year's race was a little on the small side. I ran my worst 5k time ever and placed 2nd in my age group. I was in shock and I made my husband check the results several times, just to make sure there wasn't an error. I was thrilled. That's a picture of me with my winner's t-shirt prize.

My worst experience was this year, on May 3, running with the track club, where I got that bad cramp at mile 10 of a 16 mile run, which kept me from finishing the run, and eventually turned out to be a fracture, then I needed surgery, and so on, keeping out of the marathon, or any summer races for this year.

3. Why do you run?
Because it's my "me" time, and I can solve the world's problems in my head when I run, well, at least it feels like I can.

4. What is the best or worst piece of running advice that you've been given about running?
Best advice: When I was diagnosed with arthritis 5 years ago, the advice was to NOT stop running, so I don't lose range of motion, and, well, motion.

Worst advice: Not necessarily advice, but it's the worst thing anyone can say to me during a race: "You're almost there!" Those words really mess with my head, especially towards the end of a race. Technically, you're almost there when you pass through the start line.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
When I'm not recouping from surgery, I can still do a cartwheel.

Now, here is who I am tagging...
Let's see... Dori, Leslie, Pat, Waddler26.2, Flo.

Yesterday's song:
In My Life - The Beatles - AKA Alice - Heffer Blog


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In My Life

Birthday favorites...

My day turned out to be a very good day!

Yesterday's song:
The Power Of Good bye - Madonna - Barbie2be

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The Power Of Good Bye

It's sort of funny when, as the older you get, most of your birthday cards from your real estate agent, eye doctor, dentist, insurance agent and QVC...

My Birthday is tomorrow, Monday, June 9. I've never had a problem with birthdays or age. I always embrace it. I love celebrating my birthday, not because of parties or gifts (even though those are great) but because I have the gift of life, and there's so much to enjoy.

As I bid adieu to 48, I look forward to 49 with even more gusto. Watch out, world!

Yesterday's song:
One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) - Frank Sinatra

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One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

Just in case, here's one more marathon picture, this one of Michael running through the finish line. Hooray!




Yesterday's song:
Time Passages - Al Stewart - Be A Good One, AKA Alice




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Time Passages

Evan graduated from pre-school today!

Yesterday's song:
Can You Read My Mind? - Brian McNight, Maureen McGovern

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Can You Read My Mind?

Yesterday I was pretty worn out. I think the big marathon weekend finally caught up with me, plus I caught a little cold. Sheesh. First food poisoning (the stomach issue on Monday), then a very runny nose and sore throat. I'm not even close to TOTM, but I was pretty emotional yesterday. The marathon website posted video footage of everyone running through the finish line, and I found my husband running through and several of our friends. I don't know why, but I got all choked up about it, I guess because I'm really happy for them, and partially because it couldn't be me at that point. I was sort of feeling sorry for myself that it wasn't me running through the finish, and a little bit angry about the injury. I was OK with everything until I saw that footage yesterday. I guess I can chalk it up to being exhausted because I even got misty over TV commercials... Today is much better.

The July 2008 issue of Runner's World Magazine came in the mail today, and that particular issue was as if it were just for me. Not only was there a great cover shot of former pro volleyball player Evan Hook, there was an article about "natural remedies for common aches and pains," by Betsy Noxon. The section of the article that really caught my eye had to do with imagery.

"The PROMISE: By visualizing a positive scene, you calm your mind -- and your body. 'When your mind is relaxed, your muscles hold less tension, which means you're less likely to feel pain,' says Jefrey Greeson, PhD., psychologist with Duke Integrative Medicine Clinic at Duke University Medical Center. 'Imagery can also help healing since stress increases levels of cortisol, which can slow injury repair.'

THE SCIENCE: Research published in the Journal of Sports Sciences indicates that when athletes pictured themselves as healthy or imagined themselves dealing with pain, they enhanced their recovery rate. Another study offers evidence that positive thinking can speed blister healing.

WHO SHOULD TRY IT: Some studies have had participants picture broken bones being glued together, torn muscle fibers reattaching, or cells regenerating. Visualization can also help you deal with temporary discomfort -- like the final mile of a race. Imagine the pain leaving your body when you exhale or picture yourself smiling at the finish line."

I guess imagery all boils down to the power of positive thinking, which is what I've been trying to do since I ended up in the ER, almost three weeks go. I never thought of the image of the bone healing and being stronger. I suppose it's worth a try. I'm trying NOT to take the prescription pain medications, since they mess with my sleep patterns, and have been taking regular Tylenol instead, per the doctor's instructions, and I hope I won't be needing the Tylenol much longer, either. I'm really hoping to put mind over matter to RELAX and HEAL. The article also discussed acupuncture, sports massage, herbal remedies, and chiropractic treatment.

Also in the July issue was an article on music: "Music & Motivation - Why Tunes Make You Faster plus The Best Running Songs of All Times." This article is so right up my alley. I'm still going over the article and, perhaps, I'll put in my two cents about it later, in another blog post.

Yesterday's song:
Walk Away - Kelly Clarkson - Barbie2be

PEACE

Walk Away

I completely ditched the walker yesterday. I went to may lab appointment and to vote without the walker and used a cane instead. I have to make a conscious effort to not limp, per my post-op instructions, just so the good hip won't over-compensate, then become hurt or sore as well. I have to take smaller than normal steps, but it's working.

Yesterday's song, We live for love, was selected because we (me, my husband and our running buddies) run because we love it, and, of course, it's a Pat Benatar song, who sang at the post marathon show. I didn't realize that the lyrics fit so well until I re-listened to the song today...

"I never planned to win the race
But you convinced me face to face
there was never a chance of losing at all.
We live for love."

Yesterday's song:
We Live For Love - Pat Benatar - Barbie2be

PEACE

We Live For Love

San Diego Rock 'N' Roll Marathon 2008

Saturday, May 31, 2008 - Expo
The day did not start out as planned. We had originally planned to hit the expo early as possible, around 10 AM, but we did not get to sleep early enough the night before because our neighbor across the street felt the need to party (loudly) until wee hours of the morning. We made it to the expo around 12:30 PM. We quickly found our friend Sam then retrieved our race numbers, t-shirts, and Michael's timing chip. We walked around the expo for a while. I purchased a pair of Ininji socks, found a shirt for my grandson that says "My grandma is faster than you," chatted with the Runningskirt.com twins and purchased another running skirt with the compression shorts, then hooked up with Dori (She Do Run Run.) Our time was limited but it was as if we'd known each other for years, even though we had only met one other time. I also checked out the San Diego Track Club booth and chatted with a few members who wanted the details about my injury. Once we were finished with the expo, we went with Sam for a quick lunch, then home for a little rest before heading out to the track club pasta dinner.

Dori and I meeting at the expo.

Upon arriving at the pasta dinner, we were quickly greeted by one of our track club running buddies, and she invited us to sit with her and family at her table. It was kind of funny to see everyone in normal clothes, since we normally see everyone in sweaty running garb, with hats and sunglasses on. (We didn't think to get dressed up.) As a group, the track club actually cleans up well! More people arrived and I had to explain my entire story again when they saw the walker. It was fun to catch up with many of the people I had run with, and how excited they were about the marathon the next day. During dinner we had some words of inspiration from our coaches and a local news anchor who runs. After dinner it was more of the same, catching up with our new friends and telling our coaches thanks for a great training season. Once we were home, it was lights out for me. I have no idea what time Michael went to sleep, but I know it wasn't early.

Amy, Amy and I - just a couple of months ago, running at Torrey Pines State Park...

...and here we are at the pasta dinner

Sunday, June 1, 2008 - Marathon Day
The alarm was set for 4:00 AM but we didn't get out of bed until 4:15. There really wasn't much to prepare for, just get dressed, eat, and go. Our son, Erik, was the driver, so he was also summoned to be up early. Because of prior marathon morning traffic experience, we've learned to take a back route to the start area. It took only 10 minutes for us to make our way there. I figured it would take Erik and I 10 minutes to get to the volunteer parking. I was wrong. It took about a half hour because we got stuck in marathon traffic and a road closure that I completely forgot about. Once we got out of traffic, it was a smooth drive to the volunteer parking area, and somewhat of a short walk to the 23.5 water station. After signing in and receiving our volunteer t-shirts, Erik quickly went to work helping to pour water into the cups, and I set out cups. After that, it was a matter of waiting. Several people there knew about my ordeal, but a few didn't, and I had to explain all over again what happened. Other long time runners talked about their injuries, some no longer run, but are still active in the running community. They volunteer. It's a good group of people to belong to.

Erik helping out.

Getting ready for the runners!

A couple of hours go by and the first chair participant goes by, soon to be followed by a couple more chair participants. Not too long after the lead male runner goes by, and everyone begins to cheer. I'm sure the guy is working it, but he makes his run look effortless. A few more male runners go by before the female leader goes by about 20 minutes later. Since I normally run in the marathon, I never see the elite runners. I'm probably somewhere near the halfway point when they're finished, and probably already back in their hotel rooms when I do finish. Needless to say, I was thrilled to see such athletes go right by me, as I attempted to get their pictures.

A few of guys from the track club had wondered what it would be like to run with the elites, so they decided to follow one for a few feet. I'm not sure how often that happens, and I'm not sure what the etiquette is on that, but it was kind of funny, and I'm sure it's something these guys will definitely remember for a long time.

It wasn't much longer, but the masses began to stream in. I saw several of my track club friends and gave them hugs as they stopped by. I spotted the 4:30 pace person and group go by, and felt slightly melancholy that I wasn't a part of the group, but happy for them that they were just less than 3 miles from the finish, and still all together.

Cindy cheering on the runners!

Michael finally came by, and with 5:15 on his clock at that point, and with less than 3 miles to go, I knew he would have a new PR. He was happy to see me and I gave him a big kiss and a hug. He poured water on himself, swigged down more electrolyte, and was off. A while later Sam went by. He said he was hurting but was determined to finish. Then Dori came by, was having some pains as well, still smiling and still looking like she had enough in her to finish, and she did.

Michael ahead of schedule!

Dori still smiling!

Around the 7 hour point, Erik and I called it a day. There were several walkers still on the course. We gathered up our things and trekked back to the car, and then to MCRD to meet up with Michael and Sam at the track club tent, where they were enjoying their post marathon beer.


Once we were home and rested, Michael decided he was feeling well enough to attend this year's post marathon concert featuring Pat Benatar. (How can someone so tiny have such strong vocal pipes???) She sang most of her hits, and we did enjoy ourselves. The concert wasn't that long, though, and we were home before 10:00 PM.

Post Marathon Day - June 2, 2008
It's back to work for Michael, and he brings his medal to the office as proof that he did yet another marathon. As for me... I'm not sure what happened, but I could not even hold down water for most of the day. I can't pin-point what I ate to make me feel so crummy, but I am glad it only lasted a day. Michael is still feeling fantastic about getting under that 6 hour time hump. I think this is the first time I have seen him really excited for himself about running and excelling. He's usually mentioning something about the pain at this point, but this time it's not so much.

Official Results:
20494 Michael M San Diego CA 50 M chip 5:49:23 clock 5:57:16 pace 13:20 10K 1:08:32 half 2:28:51

Yesterday's song:
Slow Motion - Third Eye Blind

PEACE

Slow Motion

Being on the side lines does have some advantages. You get to see all of the elites, and, just perhaps, get some pictures of them as they go by.

I've been a little busy today. I have more pictures to post from the expo and the marathon, plus my two cents on the day.

Yesterday's song:
Getting There - Terri Clark - Barbie2be

PEACE

EDIT
It turns out that I managed to get photos of the winners as they ran by. The Men's winner was Simon Wangai (2:10:07), in the green singlet. The women's winner was Yulia Gromova (2:28:32), the last picture. The chair winner was Brad Ray (1:46:23), in the yellow chair, second picture from the top.