Right place at the right time...

Some say that luck is based on being at the right place at the right time, but I'd argue that every moment is the right time.  Maybe it's a moment to grab something big or perhaps to teach or learn something.  Or maybe it's merely a moment to be still.  

It's always the right place, right time....where your feet are...right now.

Stick a fork in it...

Although I'm terribly outta shape (thx to, hrmmm, winter? lingering knee issues? no training plan for, um er, over a year????...yeah, probably mainly that one), I still partook in 4 races over the past 4 weeks.  Three of those were in the past mere 8 days.  Two MTB races, one desert trail race and one hilly hilly hilly (paved) half-marathon.  The two running races were totally last-minute...probably mainly in spite of that certain doc in Flagstaff who dismissively told me I'd never run again and to "go find a new hobby". I podium'd in both, so...take that doc!   (And thanks thanks thanks thanks to the best doc...Dr. Amit...who was honest, patient, and apparently pretty darn good!)   All in all, the knee is ok. Calves are screaming, but that's soft tissue, so I deserve that pain, considering I didn't train at all. 


That said, the races weren't exactly pretty.  And the MTB race...yikes...definitely not pretty.  Very technical course.  But I'll keep on keeping on; if anything, 'racing' on the technical crap will hopefully just push me to be a stronger rider.  (BTW, I'm not bothered at all though that the Cat 1 winner of one of the MTB races is actually a pro XTERRAn and world-class athlete.  And she's super nice, so...can't really complain about that one :-)  Not every day a nomad like me gets to share a podium w/that caliber, so...coolio.


As it was winter this trip home, there wasn't much sweating nor dirtbiking going on, altho we did let "Donkey" out of his stall a few times.  I did try out a hot yoga class which was the best non-hokey yoga class I've ever attended (definitely sweated in there:-)   


And CB and I became temporarily obsessed w/trying to 'capture' one of the area mountain lions on film, via our new motion sensor wildlife cameras.  Unfortunately, I couldn't stand to wait more than a few days to go see what the cameras caught (who me? impatient? b'lash!).  So, there wasn't much more than a deer (actually, just its butt), a stray hiker, lots of wind (trees a'blowin), and me and CB who imitated a herd of wild javelina in front of the camera to test if the motion sensor was working.  So, there's that.


So, am now tired.  Stick a fork in it.  Am ready to take a break for a few days and to make the most of forced rest while travelling.  Might even read a book or get back in the pool or something.  Next up is a 50-mile MTB race, some more MTB ego-crushers, and of course some XTERRAs.  Come play!!


Some random shots...

Snack break.

Cool shot.

Shwag (another XL for CB).

Just more technical crap for me to make me go 'uggh'.

"Javelinas" testing out the camera.

Parting shot.

Happy trails...

Ya know your knee is better when...

...the worst thing about your morning 80min run was merely an almost-blister, and only because you just took brand new shoes outta the box.  Alas!!!   Hollah!!!  

\

(These Newtons rock!)

Nope, it is NOT just like riding a bike...

...apparently you CAN forget how!

Despite that my knee still hurts and it's excrutiating to walk down even ONE flight of stairs, I ventured out this morning in a big wooded park here in the Balkans to see if I could handle running/jogging for 15 minutes (uphill and flats only; no downhills).  I'm sure I'm not helping other parts by landing more on the balls of my feet rather than center like I normally do, but I found that using my ankles as suspension too takes the full load off of my knees. 

It was sunny and reggaeton was on the ipod and I guess I got carried away...I made it about 20 minutes before I realized I'd run longer than I'd planned/expected.  Yes, it hurt, but really no less nor more than it has for the past 3 months.  (The problem though lies in the fact that I'm probably causing more long-term damage than simply "toughing it out".)

I decided to make it an even 30 minutes, enjoying my first "runners high" in about 3 months, then WHAM, I tripped and flew through the air and, once again, looked like I was sliding into 1st base.  Faaaaar less grace than a burly Pete Rose!

Sticks in my flesh, blood on the autumn leaves, and egg all over my face.  hought #1 - how's the knee?  Thought #2 - please dont let the wild dogs eat me alive (like they claim to do here).  Thought #3 - get up and go before you cry like a big baby!  (I dont think anyone saw the launch, & though it hurt, it was actually pretty funny.) 

I can't believe I was running so many miles just a few months ago, and was actually getting pretty fast.  Until then, I'd been sorta like a sturdy goat...good balance, sturdy limbs, very sturdy ankles...I sure wasn't THAT girl today.  I knew it was time to go home because due to the new pains in my elbow, hand, hip, I totally did NOT feel my bum knee.  I didn't want the "pain-masking" to make me do something stupid like run another 20 miles. :-)   So, I came back and am now icing my knee and letting the neosporin seep into my booboos.

Cheers...