The MarathON...

...is now called marathOFF.

(not at my) Best,
                       Anne

March (this is pretty)Badness.

There's no other way to describe my morning than saying it sucked. After days of rest and being anxious to run again, I set out for my 20-miler. I was extremely slow to start but so happy to be out there. It was cloudy but the temperature was just to my liking. I had an awful feeling that my foot would start hurting and no matter how hard I tried to think about something else, it always came back to my foot. I found any soft surface or gravel to run on instead of the pavement. Unfortunately that is hard to come by around here so the pavement it was! Then I thought about my form. Was I hitting the wrong part of my foot as I ran? It's hard to tell. Whenever you think about your next step it always seems more awkward than normal. Even still, I continued on. Past the lake. Through downtown. Toward the high school. It was at 10 miles that I called it quits. I wanted to be sick. Tears found a home on the bottom lid of my eye. Forget the rest of my failed runs. This took the cake. I knew it was time to get x-rays. I took a quick shower and my mom took me to the immediate care center. After the doctor told me how inflamed my foot was and that it was hot to touch, I knew this was going great. She asked me when I ran last. Um, an hour ago... She asked me on a scale of 1-10 how bad the pain was. Um, my 8 could be your 3. What a silly question. Just kidding... 7. Then she sent me to get my x-rays, gave me a snazzy shoe, and told me about my plantar fasciitis. She asked if I had any questions? Yes, when do you think I will be able to run next? She told me that with all of my stretching exercises, it could be as soon as tomorrow (yeah riiiight) or a few weeks. Thanks for the time span, Patricia. Since I clearly haven't been getting better for many days, I doubt it will be tomorrow. I doubt it will be this week. I'm going to work on my stretches like you wouldn't believe! My current plan is to try the 20 again when I get back to Washington. Time is dwindling. If I can't complete that, I'll throw in the towel. It's extremely simple to just say I'm going to sit this one out but the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach. What more can I say? It just sucks. 

My pop can exercises. Anyone thirsty?

 Plantar Fashionitis

Stupid papers. 

Today's Dedication: Melissa and Brad (and Lucy)

It has been a long time coming but I knew I'd have some special people on my mind during this run. Melissa and Brad are getting married in FIVE days! I have to make this brief and sort of all over the place because it can't sound completely like a maid of honor speech. As I ran, I thought about how this year has flown by and no matter what has happened, time hasn't stopped and they have almost reached the big day. I constantly think about how fortunate and lucky you both are to share the rest of your life together! I can't think of two people who are more kind-hearted and fun to be around.  I also thought about how I want to rest my foot to dance all night on their big day. It's incredible how essential a foot can be. I really miss them when I am far away but I know that Meliss and Brad take care of each other. After all, it's only just the beginning. I know that no matter how far I separate myself from my sister and Brad and Lucy, I'll always come back to beautiful smiles and lots of laughs. Isn't that what life is all about? The smiles and laughs, not the separating myself from the people I love. 

            Best, 

                   Anne

Taking steps in the wrong direction

It's amazing what can happen in a week. I do not really know what's going on. But, I do know that I ran 18 miles last weekend and felt good about it. I do know that I attempted 5 miles on Wednesday and had to stop after 3 because I could not physically walk on my foot. I do know that I have never had injury problems before this past month. I do know that I was supposed to run 14 miles this weekend. I do know that everyone I talked to told me to be smart about it. I do know that I started running and felt good until 7 miles. I do know that I stopped (because I was being smart, of course). But, I do not know why my body is ganging up on me. 

So here we are. Over a week after a great 18-miler and it hurts to put pressure on my foot. 

My verdict? 

Bruised ligaments. I do not think it's plantar fasciitis because my heel is just dandy. I know what you are going to say. "Anne, you are just going to injure yourself even more and it could become more permanent." You know what I'll say? "I have another foot."

But really, it's hard for me not to be stubborn about this. I am stopping when I feel pain because I usually can't keep putting pressure on it. That's not what I'm worried about. I have already thrown my under 4 hours goal out the window. Now I'm just determined to finish the race. "It's a hill. Get over it."

I'm not running for the rest of the week which will set me back plenty, but hopefully I'll be ready to crush 20 miles in a week. 

The jury is still out on this one...

Today's (Yesterday's) Dedication: My cousin John

I started running at the Rec center on the indoor track. It's not ideal for (a potential) 14 miles but I amused myself in my mind lap after lap after lap. The track is upstairs and circles above three basketball courts. I always see people playing and it was completely empty as I ran on Sunday morning. Why aren't people playing basketball on Sunday mornings in college? Baffled. For some reason I wished that my cousin John was playing basketball as I ran. I imagined him passing the time by playing a game of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious while I ran. This thought really calmed me. I wished that if he was there, I could complete the 14 miles and then play a game of horse with him like we were back home. John always has a "go-with-the flow" approach that I appreciate. Sometimes I need to adopt that attitude. I'm a very "stick-to-a-detailed-plan" type of person but sometimes you hurt yourself. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you need to take a breath and think about the people who care about you and the people you care about. That's more important than completing 14 miles. Even though John wasn't there, I glanced down at the empty gym floor with every lap and hoped he'd appear and give me the John grin that I miss so dearly. 

        Best,
               Anne

Imagine all the people living life in peace

 I cannot find the words.  I cannot stop the tears.  I cannot imagine the effects.  I cannot imagine the loss.  I cannot imagine the grief.  I cannot imagine the horror.  I cannot imagine the fear.  I cannot imagine the change.  I cannot imagine the devastation.  My heart hurts for so many people. 

I cannot imagine the size of heart this boy carries.

        Best,
               Anne

Pictures that make me smile

             Best, 

                    Anne

When people change your life you remember who they are

Last weekend I visited Whidbey Island for the first time with my friend Amelia (who lives there). The island is very lovely and on our trip back to Bellingham we drove through the marathon course, more or less. We started driving from the finish to the start so I made note of doing everything opposite of what we were driving. We drove up several hills and I let out a sigh knowing that I'd be running down them. That was the last sigh I let out. I felt like the majority of the drive turned into us going down hill after hill. Blerg. In spite of the hills surrounding me, the views certainly made up for the intimidation. I will never grow tired of the views in this state. However, I guarantee I'll grow tired from those hills. 

 Last weekend was a weird/disappointing/not worth discussing one for running. Sorry I didn't recap but you would not have wanted me to. It's a new weekend and today was a daunting day. I woke up early to run 18 miles. Honestly, I was pretty nervous. Last time I tried to run 16 I could not even do that. When I woke up, I actually felt like it would be a good day. Something in the breeze...

I headed my normal route and added some extra mileage in order to complete the full 18. I thought a lot about school. It's a busy week. I thought about every one of my roommates sleeping away.  I thought about what I'd be giving up for Lent and yes, running did cross my mind. You have to humor yourself out there...no one else will. I ran every hill I confronted and mentally gave myself a pat on the back. Eventually, I found myself back on my street as if I had just left. Eighteen miles later, I let out a sigh.

Today's Dedication: Community Health Cohort

Eighteen miles. Eighteen incredible women. Today I'd like to discuss some of the most inspirational and hard-working women I'm blessed to know. Our major is small, clearly. The cohort is made up of such unique personalities, ideas, stories, and backgrounds that make it an absolute pleasure to go to class each day. Sure, there are days when class sounds tiring, but I find such comfort knowing that I'll walk in and see the same beaming faces. I found myself thinking about these ladies during my run because we've had such a time consuming quarter full of work. We're all exhausted. I was exhausted running. But the quarter is almost over and all of our hard work, time spent, sanity lost, and exhausted laughter will come to an end in no time. Training is almost over and the marathon will come and go just as this quarter did. I'm thankful of this reminder because sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We may have an overwhelming week and a half to go, but we'll all make it. There are only 24 hours in a day, right? We have a good thing going in Community Health. Everything will be beneficial. After all, these women are going to do big things with their lives. I'm glad I know them because I can't wait to watch them lend their helping hands and make an impact in this world. How did I get so lucky?

           Best,
                  Anne

A Tootsie Travesty

I learned today that since 1930 people have been sending in their wrappers with the Indian and star for a free tootsie pop. As a child I always checked on that but never thought to send it in. It's a good thing because I found out today it was all a myth. Over EIGHTY years of letters and wrappers sent to the owl (I assume he was the CEO) and no one got a free sucker. Who's the sucker now? I am appalled. They aren't even that good...

That's all. Just for the record, Mr. Owl, it never takes three licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop. Crush our dreams even more. Good day.

            Best,
                    Anne

Cookies and Chatarungas

Sometimes I can not keep my mind from racing during yoga class. Before each class I tell myself to turn off my brain to everything else. This isn't the same as going out for a run and having that road look at you begging for you to just speak. I want yoga to stop all the madness in my brain so that I can put my effort into practicing the perfect pigeon pose (just a little alliteration to start your morning). Yesterday I worked on "letting my synovial fluid relax" but somehow I kept thinking about vanilla wafers. I have class for fifty minutes and I cannot tell my mind to not think about baking? Shame on me. 

 Vanilla Wafers 

Recipe from Mama Pea

1/2 c. vegan margarine (Earth Balance)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

A splish and splash of Almond Milk

1 t. vanilla extract

1 and 1/3 c. unbleached flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

Preheat oven to 375

Mix margarine, both sugars, milk, and vanilla

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and powder. 

Add dry mixture to wet mixture. 

Scoop a tablespoon of dough and flatten it with your fingers on baking sheet

Bake for 11-13 minutes

Eat.

 Maybe you will think about making these this morning, afternoon, or evening. It tastes better than meditation.

Now I may start my morning with child's pose or something. You should make these cookies or else...shame on you.

           Best, 

                  Anne