It's been a week...or two

I decided after the Bear Lake 1/2 that I would take a complete week off and just rest this bod of mine.  I'd been working it pretty good and it was time.  It turned out to be a great week, one where I didn't have to worry about fitting it in or about the heat which decided to finally arrive.  But by Saturday, I was missing it and was thinking about going on a run.  However, Justin was at Youth Conference and Janz was at a service project that went until about noon and there was no way that I was going out in that heat after noon.  So it would have to be Monday then.

I woke up bright and early Monday morning ready to hit the road and discovered that I couldn't move my neck without being in terrible pain.  I had really kinked it this time.  I couldn't stand or sit in any position without it hurting so badly.  I found a position on the bed that I could be in and pretty much stayed there the whole day.  I looked at my running shoes sitting on the floor by my carefully laid out clothes and wanted to cry.  This happened about 8 years ago and it took about 2 weeks to get better.  I got myself into the chiropractor and even though I was pretty nervous about seeing him, I think it helped.  I tried to run once this week.  I only made it three miles with a little bareback riding in the middle of that.  (That's my new inner thigh workout!)  The movement just hurt my head too bad and it was worse for the rest of the day.  I iced, heated, stretched and repeated several times during the week and by the last appointment on Friday I had almost full range of motion.  So I thought I'd try a long run today.

I wish I would have gotten up earlier.  The heat has been in full force for two weeks now and I've missed out on acclimating myself.  I really am a fair weathered runner and hate the bitter cold and the blistering heat.  I like spring and fall.  I need to move or adjust because it just isn't like that here.  I didn't have time to eat anything.  So I just grabbed my stuff and headed out.  It was a hard one today.  My ipod died about 2 miles in and was on a really good song too.  I am so sick of my 5 mile loop, so I decided to just wing it and go wherever I felt like it.  With that new snazzy watch it's easier to decide how far to go before turning and heading for home.  I ended up in the next town over on some very hard hills.  I guess it's not called "snob hill" for nothing.  I went down a nice dirt trail where the grass on the sides was as tall as I am.  I had a mama bird dive bombing me for a while.  She must have thought that this nice little runner was after her young.  I'm pretty luck not to have poop on me, because I think that I was definitely her target.  There were tons of dragonflies zooming in and out of the grass and the pond out there that I have heard frogs in was pretty grown over.  Out west seemed much hotter than in town probably because there was NO shade.  I crossed the highway and ran into a gas station to use the potty and splash water on my face.  From there until home was pretty much a struggle.  It was just so hot and it was all uphill.  I looked for the shady streets.  I ran through the sprinklers.  I passed a lemonade stand and wished I had 50 cents on me.  I was pretty beat.  I really couldn't wait to get home and in a cool shower.  I rounded the corner, saw home and finished the eleven miles.  Janz was outside washing the cars and at my request, he hosed me down.  Felt so good.  Even though it was tough, it felt good to be out there.  I think it just takes something like a little injury or sickness and you come back that much more grateful for the ability to just move those two legs forward.  To quote a friend, "It's a good day to be alive."