Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Finally, everyone is safely in their 30s


I'll probably end up doing another 50 mile race, just because this week got busy so I didn't have much time to write a detailed account of my pre-race activities and immense suffering post race. Monday, I had to attend a meeting on running apparel (ok, that was actually awesome), Wednesday is my grad class (really, really not awesome) and Thursday I have reading night AND broomball. 

Clearly, Tuesday night was the only time I had available to do my important preparation for this weekend.

Pretty sure I'll never make it through the reaping without ugly-crying.
My coworker seemed really disappointed when she asked what I was going to eat the day before my big race and I was just like "uh, you know...the usual...basically the same stuff I would eat on any given day". But when you really love to eat carbs, it's really not necessary to "carb load". Alternately, you could say that I am carb-loading every day.

Pre-race, I had a meal many questioned, but I felt confident about. Pad Thai. It served me well.

It was actually an important dinner. My final BFF joined the rest of us in this glorious new decade (30s). I can finally officially declare that everyone in their 20s is dead to me now.

FYI, I enjoyed the crap out of the frosting on the top left for dessert.
I've already been here for 5 months, so finally I can stop cursing her out of jealousy. It's crazy though, because it feels like yesterday that I was pitying her for having months to wait while confidently handing over my legit over-21 ID. 

I did abstain from alcohol, but that was mainly because I had a 40 minute drive after dinner. Had I known I was going to drink during the race, I probably would have had some wine to relax at the hotel!

The night after the race, I really couldn't sleep because my legs were throbbing and no position seemed comfortable. Sunday morning, just walking to the bathroom took forever and seemed to require nearly the same level of effort as running the entire race itself.

However, once I left the hotel, I got an amazing bagel and made an important discovery: I was just a few miles from the newest Wegmans in Maryland. Clearly I went, and even better, they were doing all sorts of cheese samples. It was pretty close to heaven.

Walking all around Wegmans seemed to help. When I got home, I did some cooking to prepare for the week, and then walked two miles on the treadmill and foam rolled. I think resisting all my natural urges to spend the day glued to the couch really helped, because I slept great Sunday night and was walking completely normally Monday (even up and down stairs). I could barely even tell I ran a race at all!

The only issue is that my left ankle is being weird. It's really....tight...or something. It's not painful, but I feel the tightness when I try to flex my foot or curl my toes (but not when I put weight on it).

The trouble spot is under my thumb in case any doctors are reading.
It's not that big a deal, because I had originally planned to take a full week off running after the race (broomball excluded), no matter what. I didn't stick to that the last two years and I don't feel it was beneficial (and I'm positive it led to bronchitis in 2011). It probably isn't strictly necessary, but the worst case scenario is that I get some extra sleep and have time to watch The Hunger Games plus all the Catching Fire previews.

The weird part is that this is my left ankle. I rolled my right ankle twice during the race, really badly. I know I have the world's lowest pain tolerance but I was biting my hand and seriously struggling both times. Of course, that ankle has felt fine since the race. 

Internet friends, please diagnose me. Ashley has already declared tendonitis, and the definition she sent me sounds pretty accurate. I'm RICE-ing as much as possible! 

11 comments:

  1. Ok I am totally having a visual of your ankle in a vat of rice right now. Is it white or brown rice? Lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG Wegman's scares the hell out of me. I don't know how you can handle it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's probably just irritated with all the uneven running surfaces. It'll be fine. I am impressed with how well your legs are shaved. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I also hope a doctor-type reads my blog when I post about an injury! As an original Washingtonian & now a Michigander (yep, these are legit "titles") I am not familiar with a Wegman's & all of this wonder you speak of. Pictures would be great!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So I'm dead to you for another year and a half? This isn't fair!!

    When are you going to see Catching Fire?

    ReplyDelete
  6. My ankles sometimes get stiff and sore if I run on tight singletrack-- for me, it's because of that steep camber of the trail and it eventually goes away, although sometimes it can be fairly painful. Maybe it's something like that?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm dead to you until January?? :(

    This post definitely made me this soft tissue/tendon/muscle injury. Flexing and stretching things wouldn't make the bone hurt...it would affect the muscles/tendons that are stretching.

    Based on this snazzy picture (http://da5wf380ybs7x.cloudfront.net/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/media/images/e-anatomy/lower-limb-anatomy-illustrations-and-diagrams/anatomy-of-the-ankle-tendon-tendinous-sheath-bursa-en/2522711-1-eng-GB/anatomy-of-the-ankle-tendon-tendinous-sheath-bursa-en_medical512.jpg) I would guess "tibialis anterior tendon sheath inflammation."

    Check this out - http://www.epainassist.com/sports-injuries/lower-leg-injuries/tibialis-anterior-tendon-sheath-inflammation-causes-symptoms-treatment

    Just sounds like too much running last weekend :) 50 mi will do that!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh this one is good too - http://www.clinic-hq.co.uk/article_27_Tibialis+Anterior+Tendonitis

    I can play google doc like a champ :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm not dead to you and here's why: Harrison. The real question about your health is why are your hand and foot the colors of two entirely different humans? And, why are people insulting Wegmans?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Based on where your thumb is pointing, posteriror tibial tendonitis is what to watch out for (can be a very long term injury if not given time to heal).

    http://www.marathonboot.com/posterior-tibial-tendonitis/

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't have any good advice on your ankle, except to say I hope it feels better. But apparently that doesn't matter since I'm dead to you (25 is halfway to my 30s though...) :-) At least Catching Fire is finally out! I am watching Hunger Games tonight and going to see Catching Fire tomorrow afternoon. Can't wait!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting! Comments make me probably more happy than they should.