April Marathon Training

I figured I would continue with this theme until the end...

April was a VERY hard month for me.  It has been very frustrating, painful and depressing.  I have tried hard to keep my spirits up but it has been HARD.  Injuries suck.  There is no other way to put it.

I spent the first two weeks of April in my lovely boot.  When I saw my doc on the 17th he decided that we would try using crutches for a while.  You know what sucks even more than injuries?  Crutches.  Oh, and having to use the elevator in my office. 

I had one really good day, April 24th, where I felt really like I was on my way to recovery.  I left the crutches in the car and went without the boot.  I felt great most of the day but by the evening I was feeling my leg again.  Might not have been the best idea to go to the grocery store.  I spent the next two days back on the crutches and on Friday I switched back to the boot.

So now, I can't decide if I am feeling pain, if I am having phantom pain, or if I am just too sensitive to every little thing.  I go back to the doctor in a week and I hope that my body can work this dang thing out.  I AM SICK OF IT.

I decided last week that I needed a break.  After spin and Pilates last Wednesday I was exhausted.  Not sure it my body was exhausted or if it was my brain but I felt emotionally drained.  I banned myself from the Y for four days.  It has been extended to five, maybe six.  I am now having some weird pinched nerve numbness in my left hip.  Maybe it's from walking around in the dang boot for most of the last six weeks.  I do love my Brooks Adrenalines, but I am sick of wear only one.  It's the only shoe that makes me feel like I am walking on the same height shoes.  So I am going to go see if my chiropractor can straighten me out.  I have had the numbness, and yesterday morning when we got up to get ready to head to the race I had a very sharp pain that almost took my breath away.  Not fun.

I will write more about the OKC Memorial Marathon in the next couple of days and I am hoping to get a guest post race recap or two out of my friends.  We shall see...

How awesome were those signs?

I like to think of Abby and I as the best race crew ever.  We had chairs that we only used once, signs that smeared on our hands, and tons of supplies that no one ever needed.  We almost forgot to feed ourselves.  We did try to stay hydrated.  This was our set up at mile 2.5.  We saw almost all of our group here.

Me, Patti and Abby at mile 7.

This was mile 7, Patti ran over and we got a quick pic.  The humidity was killer if you were running so we filled the role of much needed excuse to stop and chat for a minute.  So glad we could make ourselves useful.  I don't know if you can tell from this picture but Patti is the best coach/mentor/supporter ever.

I make this rain jacket look good.

This was stop number three, mile 17, right after the runners came over the overpass from Lake Hefner.  So glad we got to see everyone still feeling good after the killer hill.  I'm not sure you want this girl cheering for you though, she kinda looks like a maniac.  That awesome rain jacket saw tons more rain at last year's Marathon.  I think I'll wear every year I run OKC, no matter what.  That umbrella I was holding, I left it at our next stop.  Feel very bad about that, it didn't actually belong to any of us, it was borrowed from Ross and Rochelle's neighbor.  Josh is on a mission to pick up a replacement this afternoon.  Lesson learned; keep track of your crap.

After all the frustration of April, Abby and I had a great time during the race.  I like to think I impressed her with my mad navigation skills and got us to every stop in time to see everyone.  I am sure the people that were running around them each time thought we were complete lunatics.  It is nice to leave a lasting impression though.

So tomorrow is May, and I will be running again in May.  I just have to wait and see when.

There will be more talk about the Memorial and lots more pictures soon.  For now I am sure glad that April is finally going to be over.