Running on ice is the same as rcing after running, right?

I think yesterday's MCM recap may have received a record number of comments - thank you so much for all the support!

I didn't want to give MCM a completely bad rap, and I forgot to mention it featured wonderful crowd support, incredible volunteers who manned the water stops so quickly and efficiently, and was just overall very well ran. It does have a course with phenomenal views, I just didn't appreciate them enough.

Probably the reason I forgot all that stuff is because running this marathon certainly took it's toll on me. Monday mornings are generally unpleasant, but Monday morning after running a marathon was truly no fun. To make it even better, I got up early to attend a work meeting, and only one other person out of ten or so managed to do the same, so the two of us basically did the entire project. 

After the kids left, I was sitting in my room grading papers and I have any appetite for my afternoon snack, which is unheard of. Around 4:30 I suddenly got really nauseous and just booked it home and laid in bed, with my knees iced and elevated. Not sure what all that was about, but it passed. 

Oddly enough, my legs feel fine and are not sore in the slightest, but my right knee feels like it's bruised. There's no visible bruise (which is pretty common for me), but it hurts to the touch and feels very tight when I bend it. 

I've been icing it, and although it's killing me, I'm skipping my group run today, and all runs until it feels better. Right now it doesn't hurt at all when I walk, but it doesn't feel "right" either. Last time I had knee pain I ran through it and I ended up not being able to run for 6 weeks. I swore I'd never do that again, so if I have to back off for a few days, I'll suffer through it I guess.

Of course, I couldn't entirely stay off it, because last night was an important night - our first broomball game of the season! I was nervous about how I'd play after barely being able to get out of bed to get there, but adrenaline kicked in and everyone agreed I played even better than last year (which isn't saying much).

When I mentioned this before, I got a lot of comments asking what broomball was. I figured I'd wait until I had some pictures to share to explain.

Baltimore is big into social sports, which means that it has a lot of adults who don't necessary have any talent in sports, but wish they still had recess in their lives to play team sports anyway. In my opinion, the best one is broomball. 

Picture hockey. Now replace the ice skates with sneakers, the hockey sticks with plastic brooms, and the puck with a ball. That's broomball.

Go, Eric!

 Running around on the ice is tough in normal circumstances, so I was impressed that I was able to sprint around after the ball. I don't consider it my workout for the day or anything, but when I come off the ice, I'm sweating.

Knee and Elbow pads required

We went out with our new teammates to get to know them after the game, and didn't get home until the late hour of 11pm! Party animal, right here.


Let's play doctor and diagnose my mystery bruise in the comments.