Time flies...

So I've completed neglected my blogging responsibilities.  Everythime I thought about my blog I quietly would tell myself "Tonight, I'll write a few thoughts" and be right with the blogging world again.  It's now been over 3 months and I finally decided to log in and type my thoughts out. 
Since my last entry nothing major has occured other than NOT being able to run.  My ban from running was not self imposed.  Well it first started as a self-imposed 1 week exile which really meant I wouldn't do any "real" running but continue participating in sprints when doing my cross trainings...and that eventually turned into a complete ban from running or other high impact fun activities :-\.
It all started with a pain in my left heel.  At first I thought nothing of it, it would bother me on occassion when I woke up in the morning and took my first step or after seating for a while.  The pain then began to bother me after my runs...causing me to hobble a little or change my gait slightly to accomodate the pain.  Now, any normal and sane person would quickly make an appointment with their doctor, afterall, hobbling is not a good sign.  Nooo, not this runnergirl!  As long as I could run, I could deal with the pain and discomfort afterwards.  Then one morning I had to cut my run short (after only 1 mile or so) and hobble my way back home.  I felt hurt and battered, but mostly my pride was crushed.  How is it possible that I could not go past 1 mile???  and furthermore I was now WALKING not running back home.  I know, this sounds absurd but I take pride in starting and completing my runs.  Yes, it's true no one is out there watching me, nor does anyone really care whether I run, walk, roll, skip, or do any other variation of motion while I'm out there....but it matters to me.  So that walk back home was quite crushing.  I took a week off and tried again...it felt ok, still some pain during the run but nothing I couldn't push past but hours later the pain was crippling.  I decided maybe it was my shoes.  So I went to one of the new runner's specific stores and was properly fitted.  To my surprise I was running in the wrong shoe---I was using the Mizuno Wave Inspire (a stability shoe) when I'm in fact a neutral runner and would benefit more from a neutral shoe or so I was told *** NOTE*** there will be an entry about my experience at the runners' store later.
So armed with new shoes I decided I'd try again.  And it felt great.  No pain during but hours later yes, but not crippling.  I tried yet again the following weekend and was only able to manage a short 2 miler with mild discomfort during the run but crippling pain hours after the run.  So at that point I decided it was time for an appointment with the doctor.  I opted to bypass my own general practioner and made an appointment to see a sports medicine/orthapedic specialist.  In preperation for my appiontment I tried to pinpoint when exactly I started to feel pain and what brought it on.  I was very vague as to when I first noticed the pain as well as what may have brought it on---my best recollection was after doing a 7 mile run one morning I noticed something bother me.  I did note that I had been doing only outside runs (all on concrete) a lot of "hill" workouts---all my runs incorporated the bridge near my home and I was running much faster (a positive result from the insane cross training I was doing)..so I concluded all these things came together to form the perfect receipe for an injury.  By this point I had self diagnosed myself as having plantar fasciitis but then changed that after not only was my heel hurting first thing in the morning but my ankle was also bothering me---not the actual joint but a tendon around the joint....now I was worried about having issues with my Achilles tendon....so I completely eased off the running and jumping routines, even though I wasn't really running I noticed I felt pain if I did any jumping routines or if I placed too much strain on my foot.  As the day of my appointment drew closer the symptoms had almost completely disappeared.  After multiple x-rays in various different angles of my foot were taken and 3 doctors examined my foot the conclusion was that I had a small heel spur at the bottom of my heel, plantar fasciits, and what appeared to be posterior tibular tendonitis.  Ohhh and I apparently pronate just a bit and probably should use stability shoes (mind you those were the shoes I was wearing when my injury developed)...so I'm somewhat flatfooted but with a very flexiable foot. So I've been sent to physical therapy and have been miserable since then.  But on the bright side PT is going well --- more on that later.    

Topsy Turvy...

It's been quite some time since my last post, 2 months I believe.  A lot has happened in these last 2 months.  Life is funny that way, one moment you are cruising along and the next all sorts of things happen.  I suppose that IS life.  We should never be too complacent and comfortable with things.  I am not suggesting we wake up every morning with a sense of paranoia expecting for SOMETHING to happen, but rather, have an appreciation for the small things life has to offer us that we sometimes forget to enjoy. 
The only thirilling running related event I can share occured a little over a month ago.  I coerced a few of my friends to participate in this insane but exciting running event--- The Spartan Race.  It's unlike any other race I've ever participated in.  The event was created by Royal Marines and other members of the armed forces and proceeds go to building homes for veterans (so the almost $90 fee didn't hurt so bad once I found out where the money went).  In essence, the race tests your stamina, endurance, and strength.  It stretched a little over 8 miles (8.4 I believe) and in between there were different obstacles we had to complete or cross.  If we could not complete an obstacle the punishment was 30 burpees!!! I lost track of the total number of obstacles, but I will venture to say they were about 15 or so in total.  I remember water crossings (2), rubiks cube solving, mud crawls, cargo net climbing (9 ft & 12 ft), wall jumping (6 ft & 4 ft), wall scaling, archery, crawling under barb wire, horizontal wall climbing (almost like rock climbing), balance beam crossing, jumping/crawling thru tires, and lastly blasting your way towards the finish line while fighting with a couple of spartan like gladiators.  In the end I felt both beaten and triumphant!  
As for after the Spartan Race....things have been a bit topsy turvy and my usual form of therapy (running) has been helpful but I haven't been able to run as often as I'd like..but when I do it brings me serenity.  
   
 

run like you mean IT!

Racing season has ended, at least for me.  I did two races this season--the ING half-marathon and the Miami Beach 13.1; but only one is official-- the ING.  Why??? because I was a bandit runner :).  For those of you unfamiliar with running terminology; a bandit runner is a runner who runs races without paying or as my girls like to call it--boot leg running.  My results for both races were below my expectations and below what I perceive to be my potential.  That sounds rather harsh doesn't it?  But it's true.  You see throughout my training all my runs were injury free and time wise I was hovering close to the 2hr mark.  I was ecstatic with this.  All I had to do was maintain that streak and I would finish my 3rd ING race in 2hrs or at the latest 2hrs and 10 mins...but Murphy's law states: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong..and go wrong did it go.  Around mile 8 one IT Band started to hurt, and as I continued to run and push through the pain the other IT Band flared up as well.  That was it!  I was around mile marker 10 when I realized my 2hr mark would be missed :(.  Was I disappointed..HELL YES!!!  I had just spent 4 months of my life training for this race.  I had managed to keep my previous injuries (all IT Band or hip related) at bay. I essentially was running my best times during this training period.  My frustration only increased more when I passed a cheering member of the community who enthusiastically told me "not to give up; to dig deep within me and find the strength to finish strong."  I wanted to turn to him and say---REALLY??!?!?!? Has it  not occured to you that my slight limp is not from lack of motivation but perhaps from a physical ailment I am momentarily suffering from.  But instead Lizzy just smiled and said thank you and kept walking.  I didn't lash out first because that would have been extremely rude and due to my upbringing and nature I can't be rude and second because it wasn't his fault that my body decided to turn itself against me on race day, c'est la vie.  I did muster the ability to run the last mile of the race...I wanted to make sure I ran across the finish line and not walk.  For runners there is pride in being able to finish strong as I was so fervently encouraged to do so.  Whether it was my own pride or the endorphins kicking in I ran my last mile in 7 mins and change which for me is flying.  The curious thing is all that pain I had been struggling with for a good portion of the race magically disappeared as I raced towards the finish.  I finished 20 mins after what I had hoped for but I did it flying :) .  Was it worth it? HELL YES!!!!!   

running..

Running...why do I do it?  Simple--because I can!  I've been asked this question a few times and I understand the curiosity people have.  After all, what sane person would purposely stress their body for fun?  No, I don't run to keep the pounds off or because I want to represent the millions who cannot.  No, my reasons for running are very simple and frankly rather selfish. Running brings me peace and harmony.  You see when I run the world disappears.  All the chaos, commotion, noise, and stress evaporates along with the my sweat....andddddddddd I suppose another good reason is because I get an occasional high from it too.  Hahaha!, that got your attention rather quickly.  Yes, as I run I'm smoking a blunt filled with California grown weed.  It's all true, all runners are junkies..we thrive on that feeling of greatness that overtakes us when we are experiencing the 'perfect run'---whether that be a marathon or a quick 5k---we all have our moments when we feel as if we are running on air and not even Hermes himself could catch us.     
But enough on that...my blog isn't meant to be some sort of philosophical or epiphanic diatribe.  Nooo my friends, my entries will be filled with the silly observations I make on a daily basis--connected to running of course; in one way or the other.