Racing to Catch Up

Small children and college kids are the worst for spreading germs. After my holiday exposure to both and the fact that I’m a huggy/kissy/sit-close-to-my-loved-ones kind of person, I wound up with a cold. Totally laid me out on Sunday and Monday, with a fair return to the land of the living today.

I didn’t need this. White Rock Marathon is this weekend plus I have a ginormous event with tons of responsibility for soccer booster club on December 8, not to mention several house repair items and kid things to handle/worry about. At least I learned from my NYC marathon experience to go to bed, rest, and do nothing the minute I realized I was sick. No matter how behind I’ve gotten, the only way I’ll be able to run on Sunday and not have a horrible health crash afterwards will be to take care of myself now. So I’ve bitten the bullet and become a total couch potato…in fact, I’m still going easy today. I won’t run until Thursday, and then only easy and short to shake my legs out.

Good news is that, in the days immediately after Wild Hare, my foot felt the best it had felt since Nike. Really? After 50K and 7.5 hours on my feet, my plantar fasciitis is BETTER?!?

Seriously, it was freaky how good it felt last Tuesday when I went for a short trail run in Nacogdoches. Nothing was wrong. In fact, I think my drive up and back was one of the most comfortable drives I’ve had in the last year — no hamstring issue making four hours of sitting unbearable, no foot pain. The surprising thing was what DID make my foot hurt:  standing in the kitchen, cooking, for hours on Wednesday before Thanksgiving and then standing at the football game the next day (yeah, and the score made things other than my foot hurt, too). I was definitely feeling it.

I did a nice run out at St. Eds/Forest Ridge on Friday. The weather was sunny and a bit cool, and I hit the park mid-morning prior to an afternoon soccer game. It was a great run, and I was honestly shocked to see my time when I got back to the car. It was fast. It’s amazing how much rest, using a different muscle group, and great weather can positively affect my run.

The next morning, my friend Stacey and I went to Bastrop to get in an easy run. She needed one loop plus some road finishing at her marathon pace, and I wanted to do two easy loops for 16 miles. It was a nice run, though I did make a bad call in wearing my minimalist trail shoes instead of my more supportive ones; even though it was soft, sandy Bastrop, my foot was hurting by the end. The overall running was good and it was a fun time…I don’t know that I ever have a bad time out at Bastrop.

I’ve made the mental commitment to DNF at White Rock if my foot goes bad. Another marathon finish isn’t worth screwing my foot up, and i’m a little worried as to how the harder road surface will impact my issues. I’ve told this to Stacey, so I’ll be held accountable.

In a perfect world, I’ll have an uneventful, supported long run with little to no foot pain and a 21st marathon finish as a bonus. I’ll be happy with some running in Dallas and a good time with friends. I’ll only be disappointed if I’m a total dumbass and mess my foot up or run my body into the ground.

And since I’m not a total dumbass, I’m sure the weekend will be good!