Let's start with the fun stuff...

Just prior to leaving on vacation, I had the opportunity to do some white water rafting up north of me on the Black River, which is a Class III-IV (on 1-6 rating scale). From what I was told, the water was at a good level (high enough to have some good rapids, but not too overwhelming for a beginner like me). Thanks to the skill of our guide, we mostly just had to paddle like hell when ordered to do so and no one fell out and we hit no rocks. It was so great - I would do it every weekend if I could (afford it!), but boy was I sore for a few days afterward!


This was coming up on the biggest rapid of the day, called "The Crusher."


Heading into it (I am the second on the right - mouth wide open :D - I was counting strokes, not screaming, I swear!). My son is face down in the middle of the boat after getting knocked over by a wave.


I guess this was the climax! We are covered with water but we never lost the boat or had anyone fall out (though one guy came very close). One of the other boats in our group lost nearly everyone over the side on this rapid (no injuries).

Props to Reba yet again:
At the very beginning of the trip, the guide said that we needed a battle cry for each time we conquered a rapid - so with paddles raised above our heads, in heady defiance of peril, mother nature, and common sense - ONWARD it was! Thanks girl!!

Back in the real world...

No fracture, no stress fracture, some improvement. The Dx is "degenerative joint disease" (read: arthritis) and bone spurs on my achilles tendon. The pain finally began to subside 3 days ago and I haven't had to have the naproxen today. There's still pain but it is most definately lessened and that does my spirit good. I will be seeing a podiatrist and hope that there is a conservative way to address this.

Even though this Dx represents a chronic problem, I am actually relieved to discover that it's not an outright injury, but more of an exacerbation of a problem that already existed. Maybe that's strange, but it helps me to stop blaming myself. Also, the fact that this is something I will always have to be mindful of in the future, I will be forced to have patience and to be a little kinder to myself as I start running again.

Wretched soul searching (just a little)...

As I sit with my foot up, I've been reading No Need For Speed by John "the Penguin" Bingham. There was a part of me that, in the privacy of my own room, was embarrassed that I was reading it - like saying I accept that I may have limitations equalled I'm not good enough, I'm not a runner. As a person who wastes alot of time comparing myself to others, and making sure to find and highlight my shortcomings, I struggled during my short time running, with thinking of myself as a runner. Looking back, it was of such huge importance to me to not have to take walk breaks - that was my big IT - gotta ditch those walk breaks. Never mind that I added 3 minutes to my mile by trying to run it rather than taking short walk breaks periodically. I felt the need to rush it because I was worried that I was not a runner if I had to walk. Just about every chapter of John's book applied to me in regards to unrealistic goals, comparing yourself, and just finding the joy in just running.

What I'm slowly learning...

I am thinking that I am a runner - because all the time I have spent NOT running has committed me to running more than ever. The day I go out and walk one minute and run 15 seconds will be a very joyous day for me - and later down the road, I am ready to forgive myself in advance for taking walk breaks if I need to and remember how happy I am just to be running at all. I guess that's the nature of perspective - it's great to have it but it sucks to gain it.

Youth gone wild...

A couple of weeks ago, when my doc first mentioned arthritis in this troublesome ankle, I thought "dude, I am way too young to have arthritis!" Then I recalled the injury that likely led to my current debility - let's just say that I was in my early 20's, it was 3 or 4 in the AM, and I might have had an alcoholic beverage or two. Hopping on the old wooden bannister and sliding from second to first floor - side saddle style - seemed like a fun idea at the time. Being airborne for half the length of the staircase was fun too, until landing. The sprain was severe enough to cast and I was on crutches for 3 weeks. The funny part is, even though that ankle has bothered me at various times over the years - mostly going down stairs or in the AM when I get up (but infrequently) - I never made the connection between that long-ago injury and my current problems until the doc said "arthritis." The I was thinking: this totally makes sense, and now that I know, I can find a way to deal with it!! Anyway, the folly of youth comes back to bite me in the butt, yet again ;D