Texas Independence Relay

Photo Courtesy of Wim Schalken

What did I just do?!  I just had one of the most memorable weekends of my life, that's what.  While Boston still remains #1 on my bucket list.  I just checked off another that I didn't even know had made the list.  I was one runner in a twelve member team that competed in the Texas Independence Relay (TIR), a 200 mile road race from Gonzales to the San Jacinto Monument just outside of Houston.

Our map!

Firing the Cannon 

First Leg of our 200 mile journey

So I will admit that I don't know a lot about Texas History.  I'm not a native of the state nor do I claim to have gotten here as fast as I could.   So doing this race was more about seeing how I would endure it than about following in the footsteps of the brave men that fought for the State's Independence.  I say this, however I was inspired by what the Mayor of Gonzales, Bobby Logan said to each team before the cannon fired to start their race:

Gonzales Mayor Bobby Logan's inspirational TIR send-off speech, Saturday morning, March 28, 2015:

"Good morning and welcome to Gonzales where the first shot for Texas independence was fired. In a few seconds when that cannon fires you will begin your 200 mile trek of the Texas Independence Relay. I know for many of you it is merely a walk in the park. But on your journey to San Jacinto I want you to remember about the 32 men from Gonzales that answered the call to help defend the Alamo. These brave men were the only ones to respond to Col. William B. Travis' plea and some were as young as 16 years old. They gave their all to make Texas the greatest state in this nation. Good luck, God speed and remember the Immortal 32."

Gotta admit, this non-Texas felt a little proud to live in this great state after that!  So, off we went to spend the next sub-24 hours (we hoped) in 2 vans, running 200 miles through the countryside. 

Leg #1

My first hand off!

We started at 12:16 on Saturday but I didn't run my first leg until 7pm.  I was secretly thankful for the later run and the sun at my back.  I don't think I could have survived the afternoon runs on gravel roads with the dust from passing cars choking me.  My teammates that covered those legs are stronger than I and I was in awe of all of them!  I was happy with my time on that first leg and I got one "kill"!  No blood was shed and my kill was a "road kill" although I did see plenty of those!  Passing a runner from another team was considered a kill & it helped to push me to run harder.  Its what I focused on.  Over the course of the weekend I had a total of 6 "kills".  Pretty proud of myself.

Finishing up my night run

Did I mention I spent 2 days in a van with 5 other people that were running anywhere from 4 to 7 miles at time for at least 3 legs, sometimes more?  Can you imagine the aroma of our van?  Thank goodness there was a high school in a town along the way that opened up their locker rooms so we could "freshen" up.  After a hot shower, our van was on rest and we tried to get some sleep.  I've always been able to sleep in a vehicle but apparently that only applies if the vehicle is in motion.  Oh well, who needs sleep anyway, I was too wound up thinking about my middle of the night run.  This was the leg I was most worried about.  I do most of my running in the dark but with people.  This would be the first time I ran solo, in the dark, on a road, in the middle of nowhere, with who knows what in the bushes!  Apparently, the "what" was a spectator cheering runners on from their dark lawn where NO ONE could see them.  I about came out of my skin!  While I appreciated the encouragement, shine a light for goodness sakes!

So now I have to brag on my team for a minute.  I have said before that I am truly blessed to have met this group.  They got me through my marathon training, believed in me and were my cheerleaders!  

Some background first though.   For 2 weeks leading up to the relay I had a lot of restless and sleepless nights.  Besides making sure the kids were taken care of, I needed to figure out how to get to church on Palm Sunday during the race.  I had come to the conclusion that the only way to make it happen was to rent a car on Sunday to go to an evening mass and then head back to DFW after.  Well, our Team Captain was not having that.  He found a 6am mass in downtown Houston and worked out the leg assignments so that I could attend church and not have to drive home alone.  They waited on me and then off we went to finish our portions of the race.  What a team!

Exhausted but spiritually full!

So the goal was to finish in less than 24 hours.....mission accomplished!  Finish time, 23 hours 52 minutes, 4th team to cross the finish line.  What an A-MAZING weekend, with a wonderful, fun loving, prank pulling, super fast group of people I am proud to call friends.  Until next year, my friends.  And as far as that other item on the Bucket List, one of my teammates & new friend is headed to mark it off her list this month!  Wish her luck!

Girl Power on Team BCRC!

Our Bling!
Photo Courtesy of fellow teammate, Wim Schalken

2015 Team Bear Creek Running Co

Complete!

I'm Still Here....

Hard to believe but its been a month since my last post and if feels like even longer since I have felt healthy.  I'm still here though!  Physical Therapy has officially ended with one session in reserve in case I need it.  

When I was realized to run, I think I ran a whole 4 miles for the week.  Pathetic, I know but its just the way it worked out.  The next week I promised myself to run more and get back to adding on the miles.  Well, I got sick & when I say sick, I mean REALLY sick.  My family didn't know what to do with me.  For a solid week I did nothing but sleep and when I wasn't sleeping, I was a blob on the couch moaning about how miserable I was.  I'm not sure anyone ate that week, it is pretty much a blur!

Let me back up to where I think this started and laugh if you must.  Shake your head and roll your eyes because you think I'm crazy but yoga made me sick!  All the advice to try yoga to help stretch my muscles and help my recovery led me to purchase a few (10 to be exact) sessions at a local studio (is that what you call it?).  I went for my first class with a friend & honestly enjoyed the class until the end where we had to relax.  Hard to believe, I know but I couldn't relax my mind.  It was filled with all the things I had to do.  Anyway, the next morning I went for a run and felt my pounding head and the pressure of my sinuses the entire time.  Sinus Infection-1/Hillarie-0!

Fast forward to the next week and I felt a little better so I tried the same class again.  I love the instructor, she is hilarious, making fun of what I couldn't do as a runner, helping to show my the proper form, etc.  I felt great.  About midnight, I was awakened by excruciating pain in my ear!  When I say I was in pain, I mean pain unlike I've ever felt and I am the mother of three; two of which were born naturally with no pain medication, so I know pain.  Welcome to an outer infection!  I apologize to all children whose parents have EVER said you're fine, the pain isn't that bad!  I'm saying this because I may or may not have said this to my own children.  Another week of running down the drain!

I'm happy to say that this week, as far as running was concerned, was much better.  I'm still not 100% as far as the ear infection & when people talk to me, they sound like they have been sucking on helium but I could not sit around for another week.  So, I've run a total of 22 miles & it felt great.  My speed has been affected but no problem.  I'll get it back. 

 

Next week is Cowtown and while I'm not running any of the big races, I am running with my kids from the school Running Club in the 5K and looking forward to seeing them accomplish this goal.  They have been working so hard & I'm so proud of them.

Wish them luck!

It is not about me!

I've been feeling pretty crummy this week.  It's HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) week at CG.  Anyone that attends camp knows this is my absolute favorite week.  We do A LOT of running, sprinting, and hypoxic training.  I love every minute of it and look forward to week 3.  That is until this week.  Bless the trainer's hearts.  They are trying to make it a worthwhile workout for me but with 50+ campers, who am I to expect individual attention.  Besides, it really doesn't matter what the modified workout is, its not what I want to do.  I want to run, I want to feel my legs working, my lungs expanding & contracting and I want to suck wind when I finish!

Well in the midst of my continued pity party, I went to mass with the kids today.  I knew I needed to ask for some help.  I'm angry and I am shutting out people that care about me, especially The Lord.  I needed to feel his presence and open my heart for the Holy Spirit to fill it and wash the darkness away.

As I sat in church between my boys, Fr. Hoa began his homily.  He spoke about how we all have ideas about who we want to be when we grow up.  That it is great to have ambitions but he explained to the kids that its not about them.  Its not about us.  He reflected on the story of Jonah & the Whale & I'll try my best to paraphrase.  Here is the gist of what Father said to the children......Jonah ran away from God and his instructions to go to Ninevah.  He kept running until during a storm at sea, he was swallowed by a whale.  The whale followed the will of God and "spit" Jonah out on the shores of Ninevah.  It was then that Jonah finally understood that it wasn't his will but God's to preach to the city of Ninevah and save them.

As I sat & listened, I heard the voices of my husband, my trainers, my running group telling me, "Don't rush the process", "remember the bigger picture", "if it takes 6 months before you can race again, its better than never being able to run again".  Through all of these people, the Lord has been speaking to me. Its not up to me when I race again, it is up to him!  I'm not sure I understand where God is guiding me or what he has planned for me but I trust in him and be open to hearing his message!  I need to remember that its NOT about me!

Sorry my friends, please forgive my ugliness this week.  I am a work in progress.

I got in the pool.....

Week One of physical therapy complete!  

I met with the PA on Monday and during her evaluation of me, she said & I quote, "I know runners are wired a little differently and you NEED to run.  I don't understand it but do know you can't help it.  Its just something in your brain."  Hmmmm, is that true?  

So when we were scheduling the next two appointments for the week, she told me they had a facility with a pool.  Have I mentioned, the LAST thing I want to do is.....swim!  So I waited for her next comment and was completely caught off guard when she said, I could run.....in this pool!  What?!  

They had an underwater treadmill and I could go and run for 45 minutes!  I almost kissed her right their in her office!!!  Sign me up, I said.  I guess I'm wired differently because I think I told complete strangers in the grocery store, "Hey, I get to run on Wednesday on an underwater treadmill"!  

Here's one happy girl!  Can't wait to go back next week!

The other positive that has come of this minor set back, is I am back with my CG family!  I didn't realize how much I missed by MWF group!  While, I can't run during camp & have to modify a lot of what I'm doing their encouragement means so much to me.  And what to even say about my favorite newlywed trainers!  I continue to be blown away by how much they care about not just me (ok, who am I kidding, its all about me) but all of the campers.  Its January and what's everyone's New Year's Resolution......to get in shape!  So we have a ton of new people out at camp and they are killing it every day but it has SO much to do with the trainers pushing & encouraging!  

The PA told me yesterday that I should be good to go for the half marathon next month at Cowtown.  I can't wait because it will be my chance to give back.  I am going to pace, encourage & push my trainer across that finish line!

Wish me luck!

And the prognosis is.....

So folks, my stubborn self finally agreed to see a doctor!

Thank you to the many people that had a role in the intervention that caused this to happen.  Intervention is probably too strong a word but when you continue to get asked, "did you make an appointment to see a doctor" followed a look of exasperation (yes, I know you had that look even through text message) when my response was "Of course not",  I thought I better take action before people stop listen to me talk about how miserable I am because I can't run!

So with a recommendation, I saw a podiatrist this morning.  What I have is a stress reaction.  Huh?!  For the love of running, what does that mean?! Well, he drew me a picture and I wish I would have taken a picture for you.  Try to visualize....

When you run, you are putting a lot of stress on your muscles.  Umm, duh!  So, when I run and get to the point that my muscles are fatigued, the stress has to go somewhere.  So this stress goes to the bone and just builds.

So, what does this mean for me, you ask?  Great question!

Recommendations
1. Custom orthotics (I picture myself in ugly shoes that no one under 70 should wear, lol)
2. Physical Therapy
3. REST for the next week- with allowed swimming (no comment) & biking

Through my sarcastic thoughts & comments, I am trying to process how I feel about this but the biggest emotion is relieve.  Relieve that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and he did say that an early Spring marathon is a strong possibility!

I am happy that its not fractured and I could potentially be back to running in a week.  But this thought leads me to the fact that most of my buddies will be back from Houston recovering when I'll be revving to go out and pound the pavement.  Poor me that I'll have to run alone!  What do they need to rest for.  They only ran 26.2, geez?!  In all seriousness, I will survive a few miles alone and when they are rested, I know they'll be back out.

Thanks for checking on these past weeks.  Keep the prayers and thoughts coming and the occasional exasperated look! I tend to need a kick in the pants every now and again!

Wish me luck!

Hard decision made....

Emotions are raw so forgive me...

After 2 weeks back on the roads, I attempted 18 miles this morning to see how the leg would do.  First of all, the wind was brutal and we ran into it, up hill for most of the run.  Typical!  So with one element already working against us, the pace was slow although it felt like we were doing 7 min miles!

My first 9 miles felt good.  The calf was slightly tight but good.  And that's where the positive ends.

The furthest I had run during the week was nine so as soon as we clicked 9.01, I felt my ankle and the pace slowed!  The "Hail Marys" began and after about a mile and a half, a voice in my head started to say, "defer, defer, defer".  Message heard & received.

I will not be running Houston next month.  Period, the end.

Right now, I don't know what the future holds for me & Boston.  Maybe it was a pipe dream and the closest I can hope for is as a spectator.  Maybe tomorrow I'll have a better attitude and perspective.  Right now, I'm just frustrated & I'm going to allow myself that.

I know I have a lot to be thankful for and proud of as far as my accomplishments this year.  My mind is telling me this but my heart hurts.

Thanks to my group for the support and words of encouragement this morning.  I hope you can forgive the stinky attitude.

Found this image.  Message heard & received!

Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe that the end of 2014 is here.  I, like so many used the Facebook collage to show what happened over the past year.  When Facebook put together the pictures for me, it became apparent that my year was pretty much filled with running, A LOT of running!

Its no wonder that injury is rounding out my year.  It was bound to happen.  Here's where I'm at....

I have been back on the roads for 2 weeks now.  The first week was slow, just wanting to test things out and see how I felt.  I did pretty well until the Saturday run.  The ankle pain came about a quarter mile left to the run.  I was pretty bummed and tried to listen to the wise people around me that said, I may need to think of a Plan B & be okay with it not working out in Houston.  Stubborn that I am, I wasn't willing to say okay, yet.

So on to this week, so far so good.  I have tried to pick up the pace and the distance but not over do it.  I have 2 more days this week with longer distances so we'll see how it goes.

On another note, Merry Christmas everyone!  It was a wonderful day today & I hope yours was too!  I know I have said it before, but on the day of the birth of our Savior, I reflect on just how blessed I am and thankful for all you in my life.  So, thank you for supporting me & cheering me on!

Off to bed before tomorrow's run!
Wish me luck!