The Story of Non-Training

Once up on a time I was super excited to train for the Southern California Ragnar Relay. It is not forgotten that it is less than 4 months away. That might sound long, but when you've never stayed up for so many hours in a row, you have to get airline travel taken care of, figure out vans, decide on your race attire, etc.... that's not a whole heck of a lot of time. Plus, perhaps one should, Oh, I don't know ... train?!?!

I was on a roll. I have my entire plan written out on a calendar. I had been having some really great runs. My pace is non-existent, but I've been able to run without walk breaks and have noticed my pace picking back up. I really think that before long I'll be back to where I'd like to be for the race. But it's hard to improve ... when you are being a big, fat weenie!

On Cyber Monday I prepared myself for Ragnar... I ordered our reflective vests for the night portion of the race; I ordered a charger for my phone and Garmin so I won't have to be without technology in the van; I even got a new, smaller, simpler Garmin! On paper I am prepared! But what also happened across the entire US except for Florida? Oh yeah, that storm.  Sure, I could have braved it and tried to run in the snow -- but what it?!? WHAT IF I tried to run, slipped and broke myself. How is that helping my training?

And for a week I looked outside longingly. I went out every day to touch the snow and look at my yard completely covered in white. Heck, at work the first day of the snow I even paused to take care of very important business....

Clearly I have no problem with snow! It turns me into a kid and I HAVE to touch it. I HAVE to get IN it. My dog is just like me. During the great snow of 2013 she was wanting to go outside constantly. I think she just likes making fresh paw tracks all over the place.

But now the snow is gone and tonight I get to run with my new Garmin -- Forerunner 10 for those of you that are curious. I've been using the 305 for the past 4 years, I was ready for a change.

Minus the bandages that had been over it.

Also keeping me from running one night at the end of the snow was my surgery. That's right ... SURGERY! Oh yes, it was very dramatic! It was! I saw blood, dammit, there was blood!!  A couple of summers ago I was at the golf course and noticed a spot between my toes. I kept watching this spot grow but didn't go to the doctor since I was busy running so much and training for back to back marathons. This year I sucked it up and showed my doctor. She sent me to the dermatologist who removed said spot and another on my back. I got the call that the spot on my toe was nothing, but I had to go back for "a 30 minute surgery" on my back. I swear they said "30 minute surgery" 4 times during that phone call. Talk about freaking me out!!

So last week I took my grown-up self back to the dermatologist and had to lay face down on his table, my head on a pillow and fully clothed. Woohoo! My biggest worry was having to strip down. Fortunately we were able to just move my shirt aside to expose my shoulder (I thought ahead with that outfit choice!). We talked the whole time I was under the knife. Thank goodness for the numbing stuff because I didn't really feel anything until he put the stitches in. It was a little disconcerting to hear him say CANCER multiple times throughout the surgery, but he has a point .. better to remove precancerous cells than ignore it and actually develop something. So from this I get a new scar to add to my collection! Man Friend had to help me change the bandage this week, so he snapped a photo and counted ...4 stitches! 35 years old and I finally got some stitches. The pain part is gone, unless I bump it. Now it is just itching. I still have 2 weeks before I go back to have it looked at and the stitches removed... so for 2 more weeks I shall remind my mom and husband over and over how I had SURGERY!

And with that .... wear your sunscreen and don't ignore any spots, you never know!!! And also, if you do end up having your shoulder hacked into, Victoria's Secret has lovely racer-back bras available!