Although we focus mostly on food recipes, since Franny and I try to be active runners the occasional race review/experience will slip into a post. This is one of them.
Franny initially got me into running. After we did our first Turkey Trot 5k, the next year her & I did a half marathon in Schaumburg, IL in the busse woods forest preserve. It was 2 days after thanksgiving, cold as heck but an awesome time. After that I was hooked. I jumped it up to a full the next year, a few months later a half and after that I haven’t been the same.
Plantar fascia got to me.
It was possibly running in too small shoes, not stretching after I ran, bunions, and/or sitting in a desk all day. I’d chip around here and there with a 5k or 10k but after the race and the following day I’d have some of the worst pain in my foot. Stepping those first few steps in the morning felt like I was walking on a bed of nails, with one of those wraps they put around your arm to get your heart rate compressing against my foot.
Although I miss running regularly, I still try to substitute by going to the gym a few times a week, mostly on the stationary bike, a few weights, yoga, and once every 3 months swimming a few laps. I like being active and feel like I get in a more negative mood when I haven’t worked out in over a week.
Over the past week KK and i were debating doing the tough mudder with her work friends. Neither of us have been training for it, but last year we went and supported them while they did it, took a bunch of pictures and call me crazy but watching those people covered in mud doing all the crazy obstacles looked like so much fun to me. I wanted to do it but the thought of 10+ miles running on my foot would be a pain. Plus I should probably train for lifting myself up over the berlin wall, etc.
About a month ago when we got back from a trip to North Dakota I slipped carrying some carpet down the stairs and jammed my toe. the x-rays didn’t show a fracture per say, but the Dr’s office called to say they weren’t sure if I had actually fractured it but if I had pain I should stay off it, blah blah blah. Makes sense to me, so I continued with my stationary bike and the random yoga class.
Then Friday as I’m taking the train home KK is texting me asking if I want to do this thing tomorrow. Her work friends are going and she’s trying to coordinate with them. When I told her I wasn’t sure she said she said she was going to do it, so I decided then I’d do it with her. Why not?
We got up at 530, 5:45 the next morning and drove to meet her friends to drive up with us. The ride was smooth until about 20 minutes before we showed up. Driving north we all noticed how black the sky was in front of us. Our phone said the storms would pass, plus these things happen rain or shine. How much worse can it get when most of their obstacles include you waist deep in mud water?
When we were within 5 minutes of being there it started pouring. The kind of rain where the people driving on the highway dropped 20 mph and the full speed of wipers barely does anything. We made it in, the rain kind of stopped, then as we walked in to sign up it rained again. We saw some massive lightning bolts but signed up anyways.
As we waited in the first corral, an army dude shouted some stuff via his megaphone, pumped everyone up then told us to proceed. The group of 100 people rushed forward and were approached by a 7 foot, 8 foot and 7.5 foot wall lined side by side, where 1 by 1 we pulled ourselves up to climb over. When my turn arrived I could barely pull myself up over the wall by myself, and with nothing to lock my foot into the generous folks behind me boosted me up and helped me over. After my poor display of upper body strength we walked up to the start line and waited for the race challenge to begin. I was disappointed in my performance so far and the race hasn’t even started yet.
11.5 miles to go.
Plants on the Run 