New Years Day 5K

It was chilly when I parked the jeep in the garage at Reston Town Center at 8:30, fashionably early for a 10:00 race start.  That's how determined I was to start the new year off on a good note!  It took a total of 5 minutes for me to walk to the store, pick up my packet and get back to the jeep. 

In the first 20 seconds, some b*tch stepped right on my bad foot.  Not happy.

The rest of the event was pretty uneventful.  3.1 miles seemed like a long ways to go, but it was out and back on the W&OD trail, which I was oh-so familiar with, meaning no surprises.  There was a little teaser on the last part as they made us loop around the back end of the town center instead of taking the most direct route.  Logically, I knew that based upon my Garmin that we had a little more to do, but for some reason, my head kept thinking "almost there".

OMG - awful race photo :-/

The end was a slight downhill... I finished, grabbed a water and walked back to the jeep as my cool down.  It was a no-thrills race, but I was happy to start the year off well.  I also really like this race shirt -- so comfy!!

42:08.  We'll call that a starting off point for the year..... considering I'm only 3 months out from surgery though, whatevs.

under the knife

The dreaded foot surgery, a year in the making... almost literally -- original injury happened on Oct 20, 2012 (a week before Cori and Marcello's wedding in Punta Cana), and surgery was scheduled for Sep 25, 2013 (the day after returning home from Ragnar Relay in California).  I'm sick of this stupid injury and ready to be fixed already!  The procedure was scheduled for 7AM which meant arriving at the surgical outpatient center by 6AM.  It was close to midnight that we finally made it home from the airport (I wasn't kidding when I said it was the day after!) so we were both still pretty tired when we had to leave the house at 5:30 that morning.  I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything, which was fine, I was looking forward to Chick Fil A breakfast after the operation. 

Lots of prep work, fitting my crutches, taking my vitals, hooking up the IV, making marks on my foot to ensure they operated on the correct one!  The next thing I knew, the nurse was asking me if I'd like something to drink - sprite please - and I kept staring at my foot trying to figure out if they'd already done the procedure.  I didn't remember being rolled into an operating room??  I guess they knocked me out before that part b/c indeed, they were finished and it was time to go home!  I didn't get Chick Fil A for breakfast (I don't really remember why?) but Jon did stop at Subway and got me a breakfast sandwich, and then it was to the couch to be hooked up to my ice therapy machine for the next 48 hours.

Day 1

My surgery was on a Wednesday and the plan was to take the rest of the week off, returning to work the following Monday.  As the weekend came, however, the pain had started (I was taking 2 percocets at a time) and I wasn't sure how that was going to work.  I couldn't even shower yet!!  I contemplated taking additional time, but the threat of a government shutdown gave me the desire to get to the office and see what was happening and get in some hours.  I lasted a whole 40 minutes.  Luckily Chad was around and nice enough to drive me right back home.  I did end up getting that extra time off, with the shutdown lasting over 2 weeks!

Normally, I'd give anything for a day or two on the couch, but I was bored out of my mind!  Joann and Cori were also furloughed and they took turns coming to get me for some day drinking, which I so appreciate!  In retrospect, I didn't take enough advantage of that time off, but I could not wait to get back to work.  Getting a paycheck again also contributed to that feeling...  The crutches sucked, as did not being able to drive, there is no question abut that.  I dropped down to using only one crutch, and eventually just hobbled around in my fancy medical shoe.  Traveling was the worst, though getting pushed around in a wheelchair through airport security does have its perks.

On the way to Boston!

The doctor gave me an initial assessment of 4-6 weeks and I was really hopeful and optimistic that it would be closer to the 4 week mark.  Not so much.  Six weeks is a long time to be completely dependent upon other people.... Jon was awesome though, and I definitely wouldn't have survived without him!  Finally, the doctor gave me the good word.  I still couldn't really exercise for another month at least, but I could walk and I could drive.  I will take it.  I spent that month looking at swim and bike races to focus on for next summer and I'll confess that I did go out on a couple walks (shh.. don't tell!).  After that month though, the doctor gave me the green light to increase my level of activity!  It still hurts to run the 30 second intervals I've attempted twice now, but I know it will get better.  Apparently the swelling and soreness will be the last to go away and it could take awhile.  At least I'm on the mend.

Ragnar Relay - Round 3

Haven't read round 2 yet? Go back!

Dan had only a short 2 mile run, so we went directly to the next exchange.  Ingrid was running Dan S' next leg and so we got to see Van #2 after missing them at the previous major exchange (thanks, exchange 18) but then had enough time to run to a coffee house before heading out to cheer on Ingrid and get Dan C ready for his 4th and final leg.  I still didn't eat anything since I knew my run was coming up and I still wasn't sure how my body was going to survive another 3+ miles.

Leg 28 - 3.3 Miles - Easy

Yeah, this probably would've been easy had it not started pouring rain again not too long after Dan C started out.  This was another short run for him so I knew it wouldn't be long until I was out on the course.  There's really just not much to say about this run.  Very wet, and up a slight incline but overall not so bad (well, except for that pouring rain part).  I stopped to take a picture of myself at the "one more mile" marker and couldn't believe I was almost done one of the hardest events I've done in my life.

You might not be able to tell but it is literally pouring rain!

Of course that last mile was the worst hill I had yet encountered, up and over a bridge... but then it was down that same incline, around a corner and up one last hill before I handed off the bracelet one last time.  I was D-U-N-Done!

Last few meters!!

Holy crap, I was done.  I decided against changing this time... I was wet, but not too sweaty... so I just wrapped my blanket around me and scarfed down the 2 PB&J sandwiches that Joann made for me -- I was starving by now, how come I didn't eat anything since before my 8 miler the night before?!  Just two exchanges to go as we cheered on Heidi's finish and then Misha who really cranked it out on her last leg.  Before we knew it, van #1 was done.  We said hello to van #2 at the exchange and then headed to our hotel for a quick shower (and beverage) before heading to the finish line.  I couldn't believe it, we were going to finish this thing!

Fastest leg yet, still 2:2 run to walk!

That stupid finish line... we were looking forward to wine tastings and relaxing except the only area with tables was in a 21 and over restricted area... and Paula had the baby, and they counted that... WHA????  Well, we weren't going to leave her alone so we settled for a spot outside the restricted area and had to sneak our drinks.  Knowing Rachael would be coming along also, we squashed our plans of hanging out at the finish line area and started making dinner plans.  Before we knew it, time to go cheer for Rachael and run across the finish line as a team.

Misha, Rachael, Dan C, Heidi, Deb, Cindy, Ingrid, Cori, Jen, Tommy, Nina, Dan S & Joann (not in pic)

11 runners (Heidi, Dan C, Jen, Misha, Cindy, Ingrid, Cori, Nina, Tommy, Rachael), 2 injured runners (Joann and Dan S were super sports for coming along for the ride anyway), and the support of our friends and family (Paula, Jon, Marcello, Vlad)... 197 miles.  Completed.

And don't worry.... we did get our wine tastings :-)