Stalking 50

You know you're a runner when you're relieved that the reason you feel like crap is because a bug.  I totally get it though.  It means you don't have yourself to blame...and that in a few more days or a week, you'll feel better.
Wow, Forest Park is just breathtaking from your pictures.  How far from Seattle? A friend is moving there next summer and I'm feeling the need for a roadtrip to Forest Park when I'm visiting....

Penelope wrote:You know you're a runner when you're relieved that the reason you feel like crap is because a bug.  I totally get it though.  It means you don't have yourself to blame...and that in a few more days or a week, you'll feel better.
Wow, Forest Park is just breathtaking from your pictures.  How far from Seattle? A friend is moving there next summer and I'm feeling the need for a roadtrip to Forest Park when I'm visiting....

Ha! Good point, Kathy! Nothing like feeling the burden of guilt lifting, even as you reach for the ibuprofin.

Portland and Forest Park is about two or three hours south of Seattle, depending on traffic, so it might be a bit of a haul. Still, if you're wanting to experience all the weirdness that is Portland, it'd a great place to burn off a few Voodoo Doughnuts! Seattle's no slouch for running routes, either, according to this blog post. Runner's World has also featured Seattle in several of it's "rave run" features. Here's one.

No running today, as I scramble before work to set up a few surprises for Alita on our 20th wedding anniversary.



Here we are, way back in 1993. It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years already. It feels like we're just getting warmed up.



Us, recently. A little older but not so different.

So I spent this morning running around getting things like a nice bottle of real champagne, and trying my hand at flower arranging.



Not bad, if I do say so myself. I think it'll be a pleasant surprise when Alita gets home.

What?!?  You're not going to take her to a fun (for you) trip to Nikeland so she can watch you run around in R&D shoes??? 

Yeah, flowers always seem to work.  Gratz on the milestone, too!

Congrats! She looks just the same. You, on the other hand....

 

Congrats Mark to you both!!!

ounce wrote:What?!?  You're not going to take her to a fun (for you) trip to Nikeland so she can watch you run around in R&D shoes??? 

Yeah, flowers always seem to work.  Gratz on the milestone, too!

Thanks, Doug! Alas, Alita has seen pretty much all there is to see at Nikeland, including the lab. Not so exciting if you're watching somebody else test...

The arranged the flowers myself. They were quite the hit!

We did Chinese take-out (Panda Express) with the Moet & Chandon Imperial. A very good pairing, if you're wondering.

Michael Enright wrote:Congrats! She looks just the same. You, on the other hand....

 

Thanks, Michael! I think she looks better, actually. But I'm biased.

As for me, well... I'm just glad she finds me acceptable to keep around.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Congrats Mark to you both!!!

Thanks, Michele! It really is odd - we've been through a lot in the past 20 years, but in so many ways, it feels like we've just barely scratched the surface of life. I'm excited about what the next 20 will bring. And the 20 after that.

Sounds like you kept the anniversary casual but nice!  Great job on the flowers.  

Does Alita still do any running?  Seems like I remember her running in the Girlfriends half a few years back.

nkrichards wrote:Sounds like you kept the anniversary casual but nice!  Great job on the flowers.  

Does Alita still do any running?  Seems like I remember her running in the Girlfriends half a few years back.

Hi, Nancy! Casual is what we do best.

Alita would like to run -- or at least walk -- but she is on the DL at the moment because of a case of hallux rigidus in her big toe joint. It's been building up for a few years -- she started having discomfort in her big toe joint after walking a lot in shoes at work that were a little too short, and it's just kept getting worse. The toe got less and less flexible, and the joint enlarged, making it harder to wear shoes. Now it's sore and achy.

She went to see her doctor this summer to see if there was anything that could be done (he thought it was a bunion), and he referred her to a podiatrist who diagnosed what we'd suspected - hallux rigidus, with bone spurs and some arthritis in the joint. This sort of thing can cause a lot of problems if left untreated. She's going to have surgery on it next month, and we're hopeful this will let her get back to it. Crossing my fingers!

Mark B wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Sounds like you kept the anniversary casual but nice!  Great job on the flowers.  

Does Alita still do any running?  Seems like I remember her running in the Girlfriends half a few years back.

Hi, Nancy! Casual is what we do best.

Alita would like to run -- or at least walk -- but she is on the DL at the moment because of a case of hallux rigidus in her big toe joint. It's been building up for a few years -- she started having discomfort in her big toe joint after walking a lot in shoes at work that were a little too short, and it's just kept getting worse. The toe got less and less flexible, and the joint enlarged, making it harder to wear shoes. Now it's sore and achy.

She went to see her doctor this summer to see if there was anything that could be done (he thought it was a bunion), and he referred her to a podiatrist who diagnosed what we'd suspected - hallux rigidus, with bone spurs and some arthritis in the joint. This sort of thing can cause a lot of problems if left untreated. She's going to have surgery on it next month, and we're hopeful this will let her get back to it. Crossing my fingers!

Good to hear she was able to get a diagnosis and get a treatment plan started.  Hope all goes well.

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Sounds like you kept the anniversary casual but nice!  Great job on the flowers.  

Does Alita still do any running?  Seems like I remember her running in the Girlfriends half a few years back.

Hi, Nancy! Casual is what we do best.

Alita would like to run -- or at least walk -- but she is on the DL at the moment because of a case of hallux rigidus in her big toe joint. It's been building up for a few years -- she started having discomfort in her big toe joint after walking a lot in shoes at work that were a little too short, and it's just kept getting worse. The toe got less and less flexible, and the joint enlarged, making it harder to wear shoes. Now it's sore and achy.

She went to see her doctor this summer to see if there was anything that could be done (he thought it was a bunion), and he referred her to a podiatrist who diagnosed what we'd suspected - hallux rigidus, with bone spurs and some arthritis in the joint. This sort of thing can cause a lot of problems if left untreated. She's going to have surgery on it next month, and we're hopeful this will let her get back to it. Crossing my fingers!

Good to hear she was able to get a diagnosis and get a treatment plan started.  Hope all goes well.

Thanks, Nancy!

I, meanwhile, am going crazy looking out the window at a beautiful morning -- knowing I need to rest to clear whatever this low-grade bug is out of my system.

At least this hit now, when there is no worry that taking a break will mess up training. Still, I want it gone yesterday.

Still playing it conservative. I think I'm going to make this a full week off (unless my training partner talks me into a run on Sunday) and hopefully be recharged and ready to go again next week. 

It really hasn't been that long since I ran, but it feels like a lifetime! Maybe that shows that I needed the break...

Cute couple you two make.  Congrats on your anniversary!
I'll definitely check out the Seattle rave runs as well. 
Rest up and when your body feels ready, then get back into it.

Penelope wrote:Cute couple you two make.  Congrats on your anniversary!
I'll definitely check out the Seattle rave runs as well. 
Rest up and when your body feels ready, then get back into it.

Thanks! And a good suggestion. This bug wasn't like anything I've ever had - it was just enough to make me feel marginally rotten, but not so bad as kick my immune system into overdrive to take it out. At least I think I'm past it now.

Barefoot Run: 3.1 miles

Weather: Overcast, mild, a little muggy. 60 degrees, 86% humidity. Gear: Bare feet, shorts, T.

It's been a week without any activity, thanks to what I'm assuming is some weird virus, but I felt well enough today to give a short barefoot jaunt a try. I figured running laps around the block would allow me to bail out if needed.

My HR was down to 55 before I started, but I had a hard time keeping it under control on the run. My legs kept wanting to go faster -- especially up a slight upgrade on my loop -- so my HR would rev up. I'd catch it, slow down and get it back under control... until the next time.

I didn't feel fatigued during or after the run, which bodes well. I did, however, manage to scuff *both* big does on the asphalt (a first). One of my scuffs also include a bit of a stub (how I managed that, I'll never understand) which hurt like the dickens and probably shows my head wasn't fully in the game. Klutz.

Splits/average HRs were 9:56/135; 10:00/142 (oops); 10:16/139 (better)

Average HR for entire run: 139

One thing about barefoot runs after the first few rains of the season... the pavement is still dirty!





(No, that's not a snake on the floor behind me.)

Okay, now this is annoying.

That scuffed/stubbed toe yesterday turned out to be much more stubbed than anything. I must have bruised something, because it still hurts. A lot. Must have bruised something. I tried to take a walk at lunch today and barely made it 10 minutes -- it was so painfully sore that it was altering my stride.

So, it seems that my return to running after a week off for illness seems put on hold for minor but painful injury.  Sheesh.

This is why you don't read about people barefooting ultramarathons. Sure, it's possible to get strong enough to do it... but one misstep, and you're screwed. Hence, protective shoes, just in case. I always understood that need (goodness knows, I've kicked enough rocks and roots out there), but never so much as right now.

I just hope this stops hurting soon...

Back to doing chores and things in the honey-do jar.  Dolt.

ounce wrote:Back to doing chores and things in the honey-do jar.  Dolt.

Yeah, I know... guilty as charged. The toe was less sore as the day went on, which is good, but was swollen, discolored and not exactly as straight as I remember when I took my shoe off. Hm...

No, I do NOT think it's broken. There's no way I stubbed it that hard.

Besides, I twisted and turned it all sorts of different ways and didn't have to peel myself off the ceiling. I think it's just puffy in some odd places.

I hope it doesn't set you back too long. I dropped a half gallon of frozen milk on my foot last year and I think I must have broken it because it was bruised and sore for months. But I'm sure you just tweaked yours and it'll be great in another few days. At least hope so. Barefoot running would scare me because of all the junk people leave on side walks but I guess if you're on a nice path it'd be more manageable.

Julie wrote:I hope it doesn't set you back too long. I dropped a half gallon of frozen milk on my foot last year and I think I must have broken it because it was bruised and sore for months. But I'm sure you just tweaked yours and it'll be great in another few days. At least hope so. Barefoot running would scare me because of all the junk people leave on side walks but I guess if you're on a nice path it'd be more manageable.

Hi Julie! The toe doesn't hurt much at all now, but I woke up this morning and found that it was more colorful...



This is what happens when you fail to pay attention when running barefoot. Still, it's the worst injury I've ever suffered in the 341 miles I've run barefoot since I started keeping records last year, so I guess I can't complain too much.

I can still feel twinges of pain when I walk, so it's definitely no running for me today. No point aggravating it as it's actively healing. I'll take it a day at a time. At the rate it's been improving, I think it'll settle down in a few days.

As far as junk on the sidewalk and street goes, I've found that there's a lot less out there than you might think. What is there is usually easily avoided - part of the zen of barefoot running is remaining present in the moment and making sure you feet are touching down where you want them. Zoning out is not an option. (And really, zoning out and forgetting form isn't such a great idea when you wear shoes, either.)

That said, there are some places I've tended to avoid -- especially roads with shoulders covered with scattered patches of gravel. I usually run on the edge of the road, but I need a predictably safe escape route when a car approaches -- which isn't always possible out in the country. That's one of the reasons I tend to do most of my barefoot runs in my neighborhood -- there's less traffic, and I can always flee the asphalt for the concrete sidewalk if a car is heading my way.

Ouch!!  That looks painful...Hopefully you are not sidelined too long.

Also, are you drinking the Kenny Baldo Kool-Aid??
"What is there is usually easily avoided - part of the zen of barefoot running is remaining present in the moment and making sure you feet are touching down where you want them."

Nick Morris wrote:Ouch!!  That looks painful...Hopefully you are not sidelined too long.

Also, are you drinking the Kenny Baldo Kool-Aid??
"What is there is usually easily avoided - part of the zen of barefoot running is remaining present in the moment and making sure you feet are touching down where you want them."

Who, me?



(And thanks for the kind thoughts, grasshopper...)

Some people will do anything to get a day off from running!

In all seriousness...hope it gets better quickly as I know you're anxious to get back out there.

nkrichards wrote:Some people will do anything to get a day off from running!

In all seriousness...hope it gets better quickly as I know you're anxious to get back out there.

Thanks, Nancy. I am eager to get back out there, but I'm trying to be philosophical about it.

Maybe this is just the universe's way of making sure I wasn't trying too much, too soon, after a challenging 50-miler. I'd rather lose some fitness than blunder my way into another case of burnout. Once was enough.

How's the toe doing??  Does it hurt in a running shoe and have you tried taping it?  I jammed my big toe once and after a couple of days, I was able to run as long as I simply taped it to the next one (which I think is all the doc would do anyway).  It got all black and blue and nasty looking, but I don't recall being down too many days.  My running friend, Judy, ran Boston with a broken big toe.