Sunday, April 1, 2012

Week 9: A Surprise Ending!

This WAS going to be a very short post about how I only went to swim class one time. How I had Meniere's issues for the last part of the week and slept a lot, unable to do anything else. How I had one pathetic run.

BUT it's not.  The beginning is true - only one swim class and one pathetic run. The run was on the treadmill and the power kept going out so the run was constantly interrupted. That, plus a nagging IT band, convinced me to just call it done at 3 miles. Blah.

Then came Saturday! The Coach invited a bunch of us out for a group run. 13.1 miles in the hills. Clearly I was NOT going to be down for that - even in perfect form I'd opt to not run with them. Since I had missed half a day of work because of Meniere's and hadn't run but 3 miles, I didn't expect much. I met up with the group out at his ranch and foam rolled. I taped up my leg. I pulled up my compression socks and threw a tight band over my upper leg to make it happy. I waved good bye to the group and left a couple of minutes later.... since I have had such bad vertigo I didn't even want to start with the group and risk knocking into people that aren't used to my balance and dizziness difficulties. Off I went ... for what I thought would be a half mile run to the mailbox and back.

I began at the ranch and plucked away at the rolling hills for the first half mile to the main road. All things felt okay, and my vertigo was under control, so I ventured down the long, steep hill. Naturally that part was fun. I am a big fan of going DOWN hills!! Continuing on my way I finally reached the animals. Every weekend when I drive out to the ranch I longingly look at the horses and the cows wanting to bond with them. I was finally NOT in my car and able to get up close and personal. On the way out I paused to say hello to this wet, muddy mommy...    ->

I was about to turn and head back on my route when I looked over and saw these adorable babies trying to stay warm and dry.

Back on the road I hit the main cross street. Pre-Meniere's issues last week this was my main turn around point in my head. I decided to pull a Forrest Gump and just keep running! Before I knew it I was on the main highway that takes you to the Oregon Coast or I-5, depending on your direction. I just kept going! Soon I was in the tiny little town and decided to just keep running until I hit the Mexican restaurant the Coach and I like to go to. Since I had no time goals for this run and was just enjoying new surroundings I decided to run on in and say hi to "Sandy Baseball". She gave me water and we discussed Boston and how excited I am for the Red Sox game after my short race. It was a nice little break from the usual solitude of my runs. Since "Sandy Baseball" is The Coach's friend we decided to get a picture together, just to prove I really did go that far and we had girl time without him!

I had barely started running again - meaning I only got across the street - when I saw a familiar sight. I spied a woman at her car with her 3 young boys. I knew that I recognized those faces and did a double take at the woman ... it was Small Town Runner! What a lovely, unexpected surprise. At this point it might be important to point out that neither of us live in the town we just bumped into each other in! We had a nice little chat, talked Boston (she ran it last year!!) and of course had to get a photo for the blog!


She sent me on my way and I had the hard part of the run left ahead of me. You see, for the most part I had been going down and flat. What goes down must go ... up. Ugh. (But really, my goal for this run was to try running up the hills, so I did this to myself.) On my way back down the highway I looked up and saw this cute little structure. It's for a sale. I want it. I don't know what I'd do with it, but isn't it adorable?!? I mean it has a fake jail and everything!


Enough of that, it was time to focus. I still can't believe how great my leg was feeling considering the pain it was starting to give me a few days ago. But I just Gumped it and ran and ran and ran. Too soon I was at the base of the hills. My strategy was to keep setting little goals. Run to the sign. Run to the clump in the road. I used this for the entire duration of the miles going up. I did walk here and there, but for me I did pretty damn good!!

I was so happy when I got to the mailbox and knew I was close to "home". I pushed through, got to the gate where I was greeted by the dogs, and they helped me run through the ranch until I hit 7 miles. SEVEN!! So much for that half mile to the mail box and back, right!?!

Later the rest of the group showed up, having completed their 13 miles. The Coach's daughter had breakfast ready for everyone before we went down to the barn for basketball, shuffleboard, hula hoops and ping pong! That would have been a blast ... if it wasn't for the blasted vertigo. Next time I WILL test out my ping pong skills!!

So the week that was almost a failure ended on a good note! 

16 comments:

  1. What an amazing run! Sounds like it was absolutely beautiful scenery to look at!

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    1. It certainly was. Hopefully next time the cows will actually let me pet them!

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  2. You are kicking ass at pushing through.

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    1. Why thank you! I'm trying - which is a lot considering I'm a total slacker!

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  3. LOVE! Sounds amazing and so jealous you met Raina! SOME DAY :) Great job!!!!

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    1. I'm pretty sure Raina might be a lucky charm. After I saw her I ran awesome! When she let me touch her Boston jacket I got a PR. She needs to just start going everywhere with me!

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  4. AWESOME!!!! You kick ass. For real.

    Also if I ran by some cows, I probably would stop to talk to them, too. Or pet them. I love farm animals.

    How crazy to run into Raina...that is hilarious! SMALL WORLD indeed!!!

    Are you going to see Titanic on Wednesday!?!?!?

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    1. The movie starts at 5:05 on Wednesday. I'm thinking of asking if I could skip my afternoon break so I could leave 15 minutes early and fly across town to see it. I NEED to see it!!!! NEEEEEEEEEEEED!

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  5. I'm so jealous of your upcoming Boston trip! I would love to spectate at the race and of course go see a Red Sox game. Ahhh one day

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    1. This is my FIRST time spectating any race at all. I don't even know what to expect!

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  6. Sounds totally fun...and I love the term "Gumped it." LOL!

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    1. Ha -thanks! It just sort of flowed out of my fingers, so I let it stay in there. I might have to use it more often now!

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  7. Cows!! They are so cute!! Although I'm more of a from a distance they look cute kind of person! :) Sounds like a fun run - look at you go! So impressed at you pushing through! And I just have to say how excited I am for your trip to Boston. I'm living vicariously through you!

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    1. IF I ever get to pet the cows I'll let you know what I think. On this particular day they were all wet and muddy, so I probably got lucky that they stayed out of reach.

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  8. Congrats! Sounds like you had a lot of fun!

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    1. I did! Hopefully I can run with the cows again. And touch them.

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Thanks for reading my little blog, your comments rock my compression socks!! ºoº