COMMUTE weekdays 2 miles
STRENGTH last week the 'legs day', a 30' shoulders/arms, and a 50' bike intervals/absX
Go me, three strength workouts last week! A week later I still feel the tight pull of the legs day in my quads.
I was planning to leave for home on Weds afternoon, but due to mouse work and other stuff I didn't leave until Friday morning. Happily I was able to get my work done, and happily I got about 1-2 hours at home visiting before I left for Colona.
I stayed at a cheap-o hotel and met a 100 runner in the lobby who through a mistake of some sort for the hotel lost his room booking. I almost gave him mine, but I didn't want to complicate things. Also the hotel was near a walmart, which sadly led to a $5 M session. Ugh. Watched part of an old black&white Godzilla movie before bed. TV is terrible, no wonder I don't watch it.
Up early to volunteer, met a runner Chris from Bolingbrook area, he's also injured (tweaked his back) and was volunteering for deferment, like me. I stayed in the school parking lot to redirect drivers to the bus pick up site. Chris and I briefly talked about how injury changed us physically and mentally. Good to know I'm not alone in how I feel.
Back to hotel, tried to sleep but ended up watching more shitty television. Hotel breakfast was lame biscuits and gravy, dry cereal, waffles, and these over sugared yogurts. I tried the yogurt and the truck smelled like it for hours. I should have stayed longer at the hotel to rest, but I checked out at 9am and found a Target store, thinking I could find a bday present for Jess. Then to a Fresh Thyme where I did find a gift, some salad bar for supper, some ginger and some new-to-me mochi. M'd some right away in the truck, again, ugh, and so much for supper. Rested, drove to a Walmart again to kill time. Found gifts for K&J, cottage cheese, protein powder and since it was raining like crazy I just hung there to wait it out. In the truck, M, and LA called for a chat. Then I napped in the truck until 5pm, drove to volunteer site at mile 88.
Came into a still setting up but well-rolling aid station, the Primos Running Club for my 6pm to 1am shift. I scouted out the caption, Lou, and he put me to building a fire. Then to making coffee, where I connected with a few others. Then I got to making pancakes (off all the people to make pancakes, and no they were not gluten free as promised). Soon enough the 50K started coming through. It was dark, some rolling great and others struggling, especially as the night wore on. Then the 100 milers, I missed the first ones making pancakes, but got to see them more once that was done.
I loved playing catch! As a runner comes in, cheer and pull them up to see what they need. I could go on for pages with all the stories, pages upon pages, almost like a race report. The few I like to remember: the woman who came in 1am or so who slept a bit near the heaters then coated her blistered feet in anti-chafing, who couldn't stand up without Lou and me supporting her, how she cussed while put anti-chafing on the lady bits, but then TOOK OFF TO FINISH. The 50K racer with her cousin who dealt with her blisters after being out there for hours, yet she LEFT TO FINISH. The woman who came in after not eating for hours, collapsed on a picnic table, we fed her pancakes and sugars, she got a back massage, took some time, and soon enough LEFT TO FINISH. The tired and angry runner who came in with a few others (some were pacers, at least), and her pacers started dancing to Getting Jiggy With It and I could tell she wanted to just smack them, and I told her about LA in my 100K how I wanted to smack him but couldn't catch him to do it.
Also the guy who was pissed off that his runner couldn't drop at the previous aid station, he wanted his runner to drop and asked us how, I made the mistake of saying "he can't drop" or something along those lines and he got pissed. I realize what I said was wrong, realized it right away. He came around the picnic table at me doing the yelling with the finger jabbing. A volunteer stepped between us, Lou got involved, and wow what a temper - to be yelling at volunteers. But wow - my response and attitude to a drop. Reference Farmdale 2016. I dropped at mile 80-something and to this day wonder what happened and how it could have been different if there was more push to go back out. No regrets, I just wonder.
Well anyway, the volunteer shift was going so great, we had a group with initiative and true desire to help the runners, so I stayed until sunrise. I could have stayed longer, but I wanted time with my family. After many hugs I left. And yes, I love you too Lou because being with your group brought me back to focus on why I love this, why I come back, why I want to challenge myself, and why I FREAKING LOVE THIS SHIT.
My laser now refocused. My goals for 2020 becoming hardened. My plans to get healthy, to heal, to do it right -- coalescing. I've laid out some diet changes (back towards SCD), canceled some medical appointments that don't follow my course, and have an ambitious plan for personal training to build functional strength before I get back to running.
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Otherwise, on my feet for so long yet no hip pain. I'm noticing that I'm very tight in the hips after sitting. And on the drive down to STL today and for hours after (even now) my right arm/hand is tingling. I see Dr L tomorrow, and oooooh the questions I have.
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