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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Feeling a little "Cheated"

For a couple of years I have wanted to run Cheat Mountain Moonshine Madness 50 Miler and it kept conflicting with life until this year when everything seemed good to go! I was all signed up and feeling strong, recovering quickly from Grandfather Marathon gave me hope for a strong race in August.  We had a great vacation in Maine the week after Grandfather and I managed to get in some good runs on the trail and road. I returned home and jumped right back in, joining Eric and Jenny for a run in Damascus on Sunday then the classic DAM8 Wednesday night run. I felt great, strong, focused, trail running bliss, followed by a soak in the river. There was an Iron Mountain group training run planned for Saturday July 30th, running the back half of the 50 miler course. I was so excited to see everyone and get in a good long training run. I love that section and hadn't done it in a year so I was pumped. I rested on Thursday and then Friday I started to notice some pain in my left foot while doing some work in the field. I took some ibuprofen and didn't think too much about it until I hit the floor Saturday morning. I hobbled to the bathroom and proceeded to get ready, hoping that it would ease off as things warmed up?? I drove to Skulls Gap to meet the crew and realized when I got out of the car I had made a mistake, I was in denial. I could barely walk on it, much less run 20+ miles. I finally came to grips and teary eyed got in the car and drove home. I was totally bummed. I decided to start ice, and ibuprofen but I had to be productive, I couldn't just sit still so I would ice then get up and hobble around, rinse and repeat. I could walk on my tip toe, I just couldn't put all of my weight on it, no problem.....until that night when even tip toeing around became an issue and I was going to have to resort to crawling. Sunday became a mission to find crutches. How did I go from awesome run on Wednesday to crutches on Sunday? what the heck.
All research online pointed towards Peroneal Tendinitis. A trip to the orthopedic confirmed said online diagnosis and it was recommended that I take 800mg of Ibuprofen 3x daily for 10 days and consider crosstraining more in my life. Every time I get an injury I promise myself I will start weight training, yoga, biking, being a more well rounded individual, then when things are operating smoothly running is all I need. I have broken this promise many times and may never learn my lesson it seems.
Luckily I've been able to run again, nothing over 8 miles, but I'll take it! I just felt after 3 weeks of basically no running and the fact that things are not back to 100% by any stretch of the imagination, I should pull out of the race, that it would be unwise to try and run 50 miles. I want to move forward, and be running healthy as the fall weather is getting here! so even though I feel "cheated" by not getting to run Cheat, I am thankful for every mile.

6 comments:

  1. that sucks. I was hoping beyond hope that since you were back running, you'd just come run it anyway:) not the smart move I know. but it's more from the stand point of wanting you there to share the experience and I knew you'd kill this course. and the night running is great. ( fun) BUT just focus on getting better and building fitness. Love you bunches and you will def be missed! brock, the kids, the dogs are camping at the start finish, so it's going to be wild! :o) won't have a crew, but it will be nice to see them all at the finish line! :o) ( and have a tent to collapse into:o)

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  2. Cheat Mountain will be there another day for you to conquer. I am just so happy that you are now able to run a bit and 8 miles is more than moving in the right direction. It will not be long before you are totally back to normal.

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  3. So bummed for you, Beth. I had to pull out of Masochist and the LUS in 2004 b/c of ITBS so I can totally relate. It sucks, but you will come back stronger, ESP if you cross-and strength train. Hang in there and best wishes for a speedy recovery!!

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  4. We will certainly miss you this weekend Beth. I believe injuries like the one you are experience are simply "part of the sport." It is how you deal with those injuries that dictacte how long you last in the sport. I think you are being smart and doing the right thing. We'll see you at CMMM 2012 and we can cheer Rick to his 5th straight finish!

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  5. Ditto to your comment Adam. The last time Beth was injured, she came back stronger than ever. Now on occasion I can't even keep her in sight. I can't imagine how well she will come back this time. I will certainly miss my good friend this year, but I know she will be there in 2012!

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  6. Glad you're being smart!!! Heal up. You will be missed.

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