Unexpected Thanksgiving

We were meant to be in Phoenix right now, celebrating my aunt's 70th birthday on T'giving day with all our family. The airlines had other ideas, and as we watched our flight get delayed yet again and learned we would miss our connecting flight and there were no others available at all, I was really bummed about the holiday. I really wanted to be with them all, to go around the table sharing what we're thankful for, and have the chance to catch up with everyone. Instead I was on the phone with the airline confirming our tickets would be refunded and trying to decide what to do about dinner on Thursday. But it's turned out to be a really delightful holiday.

It was only 9:30am when we left the airport (although being up for 6 hours already made it feel much later). D needed a new coat, so we headed over to the stores and enjoyed having fully stocked racks and shelves everywhere we turned. We decided that rather than try to create a traditional turkey dinner at home, I'd grill steaks with mushrooms and onions, grilled asparagus, and mashed potatoes. We stopped at Fresh Market and they had chanterelle mushrooms - so far my favorite fungus and not one you see fresh in stores this time of year. I picked some up and sauteed them with cippolini onions from our garden, a nice holiday-level treat.

I had thought about running a Turkey Trot 5k out in Phoenix, I figured it'd be warm enough I could do it barefoot. I decided the night before T'giving to head to town and run in our local one. Although it was cold enough I did wear shoes:

It was a fun event, and the race organizers said over 14,000 people and 700 dogs had registered! The shirts had big turkeys on them, and the dogs got matching bandannas with bones on them. I have no idea what my time was. With that many people the start was really sluggish and for some reason I'm not listed in the chip timing results :(. Not that it really matters. I ran at an even pace the whole time and had fun doing it.

The weather warmed up in the afternoon and we went outside for a game of catch. We were a bit rusty, including our outfielder Kayla, who kept losing the ball in the leaves. Kayla was a riot. She kept running back and forth between us each throw, rather than stand still and wait to see where the ball was headed. When one of us missed a catch she'd crank into high gear and chase after the ball no matter how tired she was.

So overall, despite the change in plans, it turned into a very nice holiday with a lot of the features I had hoped for. And since it seems incorrect to end a T'giving post without a mention of thankfulness - my heart overflows with gratitude at the life I have and the people I get to share it with. I love you all!

Barefeet FTW!!

I was playing in the woods barefoot with Windy. It started as a run, but turned into a a mix of running and walking as the terrain and her need to explore allowed. I found it very interesting that I seemed to have less problems stepping on uncomfortable sticks, rocks, etc. when running than when walking. Towards the end of the jaunt I was running on the rougher parts since it paradoxically seemed easier on my feet than trying to walk carefully over them.

But the best part was when I stepped on something sharp and turned to see if it was a pointy rock or thorn. No, it was a strand of BARBED WIRE about an inch off the ground. I didn't see any blood in the dust coating my foot. I licked my thumb and wiped off the dust to see if there was a puncture mark. Nope! I felt the barbed wire with my hand, and yes, that's definitely what I stepped on. Hell yeah! Let's give a cheer for tough bare feet! A year ago my feet were so soft I could only take a few steps on the street. Now I can run on barbed wire without a problem. Not that I'm going to be doing it again - I'm bringing wire cutters with me next time so I can clear it off the trail.

And for all the parents who read this - yes, I will go get a tetanus shot tomorrow.

Barefeet For The Win!!

Barefoot in Chicago

I’m really starting to see the variability of TSA screening at different airports. At one airport the metal detectors were so sensitive it picked up the underwires in my bra. I will never forget the TSA agent asking “Ma’am, do you have any metal in your…chest area?” Whereas I walked through another airport’s metal detectors cleanly and only on the other side noticed just how much metal I had on my person. I had wondered if the pendant would set it off, as it’s a blacksmithed piece of solid iron. But apparently not. 

 

I was in Chicago recently and our hotel was right on the river. It was a great view from my room, with some famous landmarks visible. There’s a river walk path that people walked their dogs and run on during the day. I found enough time to run up to Lake Michigan and back. The wind coming off the lake was strong enough it made the run more challenging than expected, but at least it was pushing me along on the run back. It was interesting to note that each bridge is different underneath, it gave the run even more personality.

Walking down the street we passed a block-long Macy’s without much thought. Then at the corner I saw the old Marshall Fields cornerstone plaques and realized where I was. I remember as a kid we’d come to the city at Christmastime to see the Marshall Fields window displays. The entire block of windows was converted into sparkling animatronic Christmas windows. The whole block told a long story, but each window was unique. Street vendors sold hot roasted chestnuts in paper sacks to the crowds that stared at the windows. I’d probably love them now, but my kid palate wasn’t too impressed when my dad shared one with me. But even as a kid my mouth knew that Marshall Field’s Frango Mints were something special. So many childhood presents involved boxes of Frango Mints after mom gave me that first one from the small 15-piece box she bought herself. I know you can buy them at Macy’s now across the country, but seeing them in the window in the original Marshall Fields meant so much.

One good thing about going barefoot is it opens you up to a lot of entertainment that other people can only sit and jealously watch. Take these fountains for example. They were built seamlessly into the walkways of the lobby, and if you weren’t paying attention you could easily walk into one. Which in my mind means they were designed for exactly that. Off came the shoes and I happily splashed my feet in the half-inch of water while waiting for my colleague after the close of the exhibit hall at the convention center. The cold water felt really good after a full day on my feet. I sat alone along the back side of the benches so my feet plaffed in the water while everyone else crowded together on the dry side. 

My feets is nekkid

Barefooting is really working for me. I'm not going to make any wild pronouncements since so many people view the barefoot runners as nutters, but I will just say that my lower legs, ankles, and feet are much stronger than they ever have been and I'm enjoying running and hiking in a way I never did before. I'm following the guidance of the book Barefoot Running to make sure I learn the proper way to strengthen my feet and ankles, and build up my footpads. It's a slooooow process but I know that it's the safest route. Ack, already sounding too preachy!
 

Some of the most fun I've had is trekking in the woods with the dogs while barefoot. There are so many uneven areas and different textures it helps strengthen your feet, and it loads of fun. Well, it wasn't fun walking under the oak trees with their acorn-littered ground. But boy the leaf litter felt like a spongy mattress afterwards! And moss has to be the most awesome groundcover for barefeet ever. It's so densely spongy, cool and damp yet warm in the sun. I also loved standing on patches of smooth dirt to cool my feet while the dogs rustle in the underbrush. After coming out of the woods with all of its twigs and rocks and bits, walking on the asphalt street feels like a treat.

And for you worrying, yes I do bring shoes with me just in case I need them. And not just any shoes! Daven will be proud I bought some Vibram Five Fingers. I had a choice between white trimmed with green, or ghastly orange trimmed with hot pink (not much color choice in a women's 41 - hell, I'm lucky to have found any in person). You don't even get to guess which pair I ended up with. I figured the white ones would get really funky dirty fast. They conveniently clip onto a carabiner for easy carrying.

And I noticed something cool when I was stretching one day - a Baddha Konasana Dragonfly! Check it out!

Running in bare feet

Do you ever notice a small thing and pass over it, only to notice it again in a different setting, then again and again. Finally you decide to explore the idea, figuring that if you keep getting bombarded with suggestions from different places, maybe it's something you're cosmically meant to notice. Barefoot running was like that for me. I won't go into the details, suffice to say that I can count at least 4 unrelated instances in the last couple weeks that brought it to my attention.  I decided on Sat. to head to the gym and try it out on the indoor track.

As I sat on a bench to take off my running shoes and socks, I was curious how my ankles would feel - would they be strong enough without running shoes to avoid injury? What about my weird hip rotation that causes my legs to swing in and knock my knees together - how would it respond without the stabilizing effect of my shoes?  How do I learn to run on the balls of my feet? I walked a lap to warm up, ridiculously aware of my bare feet with their blue-painted toenails, ready to respond if an employee told me to put my shoes on. But once I started to run all thoughts left my head. It was so...easy. My gait was springy, landing on the balls of my feet, heels barely touching, then bouncing off the track. My ankles felt fine. My arches didn't hurt. Boing boing, I felt like Tigger running. I smiled hugely, enjoying the fun and freedom of just running. The sound of my bare feet on the track, a soft plaf-plaff, a sharp contrast to the heavier footfalls of the other runners. I stopped to walk a bit, then run again, around and around. It was so fun. I remembered the line "Don't think, just run" and for the first time I was enjoying doing just that. I looked down at my feet and noticed how straight my legs were, no conscious fight to keep my knees from turning in. Nothing hurt running this way. And I learned how many helper-muscles weren't getting used running in shoes. Muscles that complained they're not used to work - like the soleus, the muscles between your calf and ankle. And tiny unnamed muscles wrapping the ankle from foot to leg that still needed strength training.

I ran longer than I should have. I think I covered a mile in total, and was TIRED at the end. When I got home and looked online for more information, everyone warned to start slow, very slow. I had no idea just how slow you really have to start. My soleus (lower leg) muscles are so worn out I walk funny if I've been sitting a while. But I know it's muscle fatigue, like your pecs after doing a bit too much on the bench press. I'm thinking I might do a few laps before lifting weights, or after a Zumba class. But I'm definitely going to do it again.

Thirsty dog

It's been hot enough lately that I've avoided taking the dogs on pedestrian adventures.  That's what we say now - they've learned every other euphemism for walk we can think of.  They were really insistent yesterday about wanting to go out in the middle of the day.  I knew it was broiling, and both of them are black.  I wore my runner's Fuel Belt (water bottle belt), hoping if I gave them water during the walk they wouldn't fall over from heat exhaustion.  Windy refused to drink anything, I know she was scouting for open water to swim in to cool off.  I cupped my hand and squirted water into it to see if Kayla would lap it up (she always refuses to drink from travel bowls).  It worked ok, although was somewhat slimy for me.  After a minute like this I put the bottle to the side of her mouth and squeezed, fully expecting her to back away.  She kept up the lapping motion and no water came out of her mouth.  Cool!  My dog can drink from a squirt bottle.  Next water break I just held the bottle to her mouth and squeezed.  She drank 6 oz. of water straight.  The final time I held the bottle to her face and she turned her head so I could squeeze it into the spot she likes.  Hooray!  Now I just have to remember which bottles are hers, and which are mine during outings.

Incomprehensibly clumsy

Impressively so. Inexplicably clumsy. It boggles the mind.

So the weather has been beautiful here lately. On Sat. I decided to take Windy running down the riverwalk. It was our first official run of the season and we were both loving it. She's a really good running partner normally, stays right near me with the leash slack between us. She had a couple dips in the river and was insanely joyous. We ran up a leaf-strewn trail that went up a ridge quite easily. I made a point to constantly watch the ground a few feet ahead to spot any trouble. I really respect how potentially dangerous running on uneven ground can be. On the way back down we were near the end of the trail when we saw 3 guys walking up. They stepped off the trail for us to pass, Windy balked as we approached, but ran ahead at my urging. Something spooked her after we passed and she lunged off into the woods. My foot slipped on the leaves and I took a terrific tumble. I fell to the left and my right ankle turned under and rotated onto the top of my foot.  In my mind it felt like my ankle dislocated and my weight landed on my legbones. Not truly what happened, but that's what it felt like. Most of the rest was just scrapes and mud streaks on my shins and forearms. I had to sit on a rock for about 5 minutes rocking back and forth until the pain subsided enough to walk again. I saw my ankle already swelling over the lip of my shoe. Unfortunately I was about 1.5 miles from my car, but at least it was on the paved path. By the time I got to the car I was able to walk with barely a limp. I went home and plunged my ankle in a bucket of ice water (better than putting ice on it), then bound and elevated it. Been pushing 800 mg of ibuprofen too. But today my foot looks like a zombie limb. The entire area between my ankle bone and the bottom of my foot is purple/grey, thick and hard, with shiny skin on it. My whole foot is swollen, grey, and my toes look fat. There's a pinpoint bruise behind my ankle bone that I think was an internal point of impact, and some bruising runs up my leg a few inches. Nothing's broken, but it's pretty ugly just the same.

What sucks most (other than my lack of mobility) is just how long this is going to take to heal. Ever since I started running I've been pleased how strong my previously-weak ankles seemed to be. Running is clearly out for the next month or so, as is the aerobics class I've started taking. I'm hoping swimming doesn't hurt too much, or maybe the elliptical machines will be ok soon. Grah!

The end is neigh

We're down to the final days of packing. It's not that we have *that* much stuff (HA!), the boxes just fill up too quickly. I don't see how I'm ever going to get all the dishes & clothes packed since I can't keep up with the laundry and dishwasher. And I just can't bear the thought of packing dirty laundry. I really want everything all boxed up so it's very streamlined when everyone comes over to tote boxes. Plus it's getting hard to find boxes anymore in town. Oh I'm sure I could buy some, but how does that compare to scrounging free ones that say things like "Chocolate Silken Decadence Tofu" on them?

Took Windy for our final run on the high trail yesterday morning. It was a beautiful sunrise and we both really enjoyed being out there. We crossed train tracks in 2 places and were heading up the switchback to a meadow that runs alongside the tracks when we heard the distant rumbling of an approaching train. We stood there a minute, Windy becoming more agitated as the sound grew louder, as I tried to calculate if we could make it back across the tracks before the train came. I knew from experience the 5:55am train is often quite long and that Windy really doesn't like being near it. I decided to go for it, and we broke into a sprint up the hill back towards the first railroad crossing. I focused on my running form and was pleased how good it felt. I turned my head occasionally to catch the sound of the train and could tell it was definitely getting closer but still safely distant when we crossed the tracks. I stopped at the base of the next hill and was walking so we could catch our breath (dogs don't like long unstopping sprints). But if we stopped there we'd be caught by the second set of tracks, and close enough to the train Windy might freak out. The sound of the train changed from the distant thunder rumble to a more distinct rumble-chug. I figured we had enough time to get across the next set of tracks only if we ran full out the entire way. I started running again, Windy keeping pace or lagging a bit behind. I kept calling to her to keep up, the train getting louder but still not visible. My energy was depleted and I would have stopped instantly if I'd had the choice. But we made it across the tracks and ran a bit further to the rise before gasping to a halt. I turned around to wave to the engineer and Windy's fur bristled and she clearly wanted to get away from the noise. My head was pounding and I felt weak from the extended speed work, but the rest of the trip seemed easy by comparison. Wonder if I can use this memory to boost speed work on normal days?

Well, best be off to pack another box!

Best run of the year

Ok, also the first run of 2009, but I think it'll be a while before another tops this one. Beautiful weather. Just cooler than tepid, a light breeze, blue skies, puffy clouds. Barely warm in the sun, slightly cool in the shade. Windy and I ran along the switchback service trails paralleling the railroad tracks. Letting her run off-lead is great, she gets to go exploring, bounding back and forth many times while I run doggedly ahead (ooh is that a pun?). Given my recent slack in running, I was concerned how it would be, given the trails are hilly, and a mix of packed dirt, chunky gravel, and sand. Happy to say it was easier than anticipated, and much more fun than expected.

There were a fair number of mud puddles dotting the trail that I skirted around, not wanting to soak through my white mesh running shoes. Windy crossed a small creek and when I called her to continue up the main path she just looked over her shoulder, clearly daring me to cross and explore the meadow path beyond. After a moment of deliberation and acceptance that there were no stepping stones, I nimbled across as best I could. The cold water on my feet was more refreshing than if I had drank it. After that I stopped avoiding the mud puddles, delighting in splashing through each one. Windy joined in, her speedy gallop sending up an impressive spray. It was terribly fun, and I laughed at how far the mud spatters came up on us. Then we went through an area where the soil was primarily coal dust. Not thinking of the consequences I splashed through a long puddle, and saw my shoes were now jet black. I knew instantly there was no way I was going to be able to clean the coal dust mud from them. I remember when I first got these shoes, I was so proud of the gleaming white and silver-green color. After some outdoor running (and the Coronado Bridge Run mishap) they lost their gleam, but still were sort of white. Heh, I think the best I can hope for now is gray, maybe charcoal? At least they can't get any dirtier than they are now. The weather is cold and rainy now, but I'm counting the days until we can go back. I saw some wild turkey tracks bigger than my splayed fingers, maybe we'll see one :)

Canine Yoga Helper?

Took Windy with me running this morning for the first time. It was great, her excited exploration pace is a bit faster than my running speed, and she wouldn't hear of slowing it down. Any time I felt tired I just had to look at her effortless stride and it helped keep me going. Once home I pulled out my yoga mat and started stretching. I was also using a tennis ball as part of one exercise. Windy came in to watch, and once I sat up and she spied the ball, she snatched it up and started tossing it around. For some reason she loves laying on my yoga mat, so during a practice I'm constantly shoving her aside. It's not really a problem, but now my exercise tennis ball is soggy and I have to find a new one. Still, she was so cute attacking the ball I can't really help but smile.

Coronado Bridge Run

While on a business trip to Cali last week I ran in my first official Run. The 22nd annual Coronado Bridge Run happened to fall the same weekend, and it looked like a fun opportunity. 8000 entrants ran the 4 miles from the convention center, over Coronado Bay, ending on Coronado Island in the smallest National Park on record. It was fun stretching at the starting line, watching all the conference attendees in their suits weave their way amongst us with odd looks. The bridge was intimidating, especially the incline. Here's part of the bridge from a distance, it curves around another quarter of its length off to the right. The pics are worth clicking on to get the full image. It was pretty hot in the sun, and I was worried about getting over the bridge, so ran at a fairly easy pace. By the end I was glad I did, it took more effort than I'd expected, but I was glad to have made it over without stopping. Here we are heading up the on-ramp to the bridge. Once on the bridge it was clear it wasn't the angle of the incline, but the length of the overall hill that was tough. Well, tough for me at least, my triathlete friend running with me didn't seem to have a bit of trouble, and was incredibly encouraging throughout. He even took this spiffy action photo of meThose tall buildings are the beginning of the convention center area, where I spent most of my week. The race results were a little jumbled, as my friend and I crossed the exact same second yet were listed 10 places apart, but officially I was 2169/8000. Don't know how much this says, since the winner did the 4 miles in 20 min. flat and the last person was an 82 year old woman. Still, I had a great time, learned some interesting ways to stay refreshed while running, and will definitely sign up for another run soon.

Personal Triumph

Five years ago while I was in chemo, my oncology nurse suggested I try walking the Huckleberry Trail with the dog for some exercise. She told me where the trail starts behind the mall, and cautioned me to only walk as far as the big bridge (maybe 10 minutes?) and then turn around no matter how good I felt. And she was right. At the bridge I was very tempted to go further, but heeded her advice and was literally trudging back up the mall hill and went straight home for a nap.

I just came home from my first run on the Huckleberry. I started at the base of the mall hill -- I've biked up it, no way was I including it in my run. I ran to the first bridge past Merrimac and back, 3.7 miles. I've never run hills before, it certainly adds something! I'm glad no one was around to hear, because the last hill made me start cheering myself on trying to get past it. And I did!

I saw a male & female cardinal doing a courting ritual on the path. They would hear me coming and fly about 20 feet ahead and start up their dance, again and again. They looked like they kissed at one point. Very cute.

Self improvement is tiring

I now have 3 months of successfully running 3 miles 3 mornings a week completed. Completely coincidently now that the 4th month of the year is starting, I'm going to increase to 4 mornings a week. With the improvement in the weather I'm taking the dogs walking/hiking in the evenings more. I'm eating healthier--many days at lunch I wonder why I always run out of spinach in my salad, despite the laughably tall pile falling off my plate. Of course, I usually put something interesting (like a lean cuisine pizza or the meat/cheese of a turkey sandwich) on top of it. I'm dancing more, camping, and gardening again. During the week I keep up pretty well with everything. But lately on the weekends I've just crashed. I still do stuff, but I feel so dragged out I end up laying around reading for hours. It's like all the motivation and will power I have during the week evaporates for those 2 days. The problem is that it comes as a shock, I feel like I want to do stuff, but just never summon the effort needed. Hmm...maybe if my 4th day of running is Sat. morning it will gear me up for the rest of the day.