So I had planned on a lovely “recap of 2014” post.
I had also planned on a “running resolutions for 2015” post.
And I also wanted to do an “update on my knee and my plans for marathon training” post.
But my entire life got in the way.
Doodlebug vet visit #1
It started Monday with Duncan not feeling well. It turned into the worst illness I have ever experienced with him. Mostly a stomach bug of some sort that made him vomit and have the runs (with blood out both ends! 🙁 but as he started to feel better after a couple of doses of the antibiotic I noticed he was itchy and uncomfortable and couldn’t settle. We were basically up all night last night. So we returned to the vet today and they took him off the antibiotic and started him on some benedryl.
Apparently I’m allergic to the antibiotic I was on
Sheesh! All I know is that I hope we both sleep peacefully tonight. Anyhoo that’s where my focus has been the last 5 days. Well, that and a little New Year’s Eve celebrating with Mr. SOTSS and New Year’s Day visit with my dear aunt who lives in Brooklyn.
New Dearfoam slippers to ring in the new year!
our essentials…a little pink champagne and a DIY project that I made him do with me. He was a good sport and obliged.
a little fail when it comes to lighting and cropping technique. LOL!
New Year’s Day sunset as I drove home from my aunt’s house in Brooklyn
I hope you all have eased into the new year happy and healthy. So while you wait for my 2014 highlights post why don’t you share some of yours? What were the top 3 highlights of your year?
We’ve been reaching the mid 50s here in New York City lately! I’ve been really testing my willpower and not running even though it’s been such great running weather. So I’ve been doing a lot of the next best thing….walking with the doodlebug.
watching the ducks
no parking! duck crossing.
Duncan was a little weirded out by the horses (in the background)
it’s nice that they are prepared for this lake to freeze over
First let me just give a big shout out to my dog and wish him a happy 6th birthday! Y’all know how much Duncan means to me. He’s truly my best friend. (Well, except when he is misbehaving lol).
Sock monkey destruction
Proud of his gifts but tolerating the hat
Waiting patiently for me to give him the ok to eat his cookies
I’m 6 which means in dog years I’m older than my mom
Yesterday I kicked off my 2 week vacation with a relaxing morning with 2 of my favorites.
Two great mugs!
And then, late morning I decided to go for a run. I covered just over 5 miles.
thinking about running in place inside to avoid the cold and cloudy outside
OK so here’s the boring novel I’m about to share about “runjuries”. Feel free to skip if you want and go directly to the Luna Bar Giveaway instruction below =)
I was pretty banged up when I got home. My right piriformis (butt cheek muscle) has been a bit spazzy the last couple of days. My chronic tight left hamstring was SOOO tight and I could feel the tightness behind my knee and down the side of my calf. And the right knee! The annoying, frustrating mystery knee pain that started at the beginning of October decided to be a punk for the last 2 miles. Interestingly I really had no issue at all during our holiday windows run this past Saturday. While we covered between 6 and 7 miles we stopped frequently to admire the store windows and tree and also walked a lot too so I’m guessing the impact was much less than a normal run of that distance.
These “runjuries” are really disheartening. If I can’t make it through an easy 5 miler without lingering pain, how will I start marathon training in a few weeks? My first long run is usually 7 or 8 miles. That just isn’t going to happen the way I’m feeling lately. Not to mention, i feel like my usual mental health benefits of running aren’t happening because I’m to fixated on the physical stuff during the run that I can’t clear the cobwebs in my head like I’m used to.
So here’s my short term plan:
• Start icing knee 2X a day.
• Take ibuprofen for a few days straight
• Foam roll legs (especially quads, hamstrings and glutes)
• Strengthen core, hips, glutes, hamstrings and quads using exercise from PT and online
• Keep exercise low impact for 2 weeks. Try not to run but if i must run then only 1-3 miles on soft, flat paths.
Long term I’d like to get my running form/gait evaluated and probably get a new primary care doc who will be happy to send me to a PT who specializes in running mechanics and injuries. I’m also prepared to start my marathon training a few weeks later than normal and/or fall back to the half if i have to. The New Jersey Marathon is April 26th and a 16 week cycle would have me start on 1/4. So realistically if I can be healed by 1/18 I’ll still get 14 weeks of training in. And if I struggle at all, I can drop back to half training 10 weeks out starting mid February to give myself an extra month to heal. I’m saying all this like a mature adult. But I can tell you that if I am not healed or have to drop back to the half I’ll probably cry and feel sad and go through all those emotions. =)
Luna Bar Giveaway!
Gift from Luna
So about a week ago, Luna sent me a box of their newest, and now gluten free, bars. I have had 2 of them so far. The chocolate dipped coconut one was my absolute favorite. They are now gluten free! And Luna has offered to send a box of bars to one of my readers.
To enter just leave me a comment below about anything you want. (make sure you’ve added an email address when posting so I can contact you if you’ve won.). I’ll select one reader at random on Friday afternoon 12/26 so leave your comment before 9am (EST) on that day. This giveaway is only available to my U.S. readers as the bars can only be mailed to a U.S. postal address.
That’s it! I’m off to start baking now for Christmas Day. I’m bringing homemade brownies (yes! from scratch, not a mix) and my grandmother’s famous rum cake. It’s basically a doctored up yellow cake mix cake with rum in the batter baked in a bundt pan but the glaze has lots of rum and sugar and walnuts. OH SO YUMMY!
I won’t be reunited with my laptop until after the holiday so if I don’t post again beforehand have a very merry one!
I got up a little earlier so I could drop off Duncan at my friend Nicole’s house for the day while I’m at work. He is a lucky boy and will spend the day with his pals Biggie and Cody. He loves the morning car rides. It’s that moment when he expects that I am leaving for work and then when I open the door I surprise him and say “wanna go in the car?”
I hope we’re going to Biggie & Cody’s house
Cody & Duncan
When we got to Nicole’s her daughter was coloring in a Hello Kitty coloring book with jumbo crayons and I was having major arts and crafts envy!!!! Next thing you know, I’m headed out the door with a Hello Kitty picture colored just for me! And Nicole even gave me a fresh slice of banana bread to take with me. Now that’s what I call a good way to start off the day.
My day at work started just like this
My weekend was super busy but so much fun!
The cupcakes I helped decorate for the Pictures with Santa event at the dog park came out adorable (if I do say so myself). And the dogs? Oh they were so cute. Some even got dressed up for theur photo op with Santa. I wish I had more pictures of the dogs with santa but i took them with someone else’s camera. If I can get my hands on any later I’ll post ’em.
After that I drove to the charity drive that my sister in law was spearheading…
Sally Claus
I wrapped up the gifts I bought for Joshua the child I sponsored while lots and lots of families came to wrap the gifts that they bought for their sponsored kids.
The amazing generous families hard at work wrapping the gifts they bought for the kids
These are for Joshua…the boy I sponsored. He’s getting everything he asked for. Art supplies, an mp3 player and a sweatshirt
My niece and her friend manned the chocolate dipping station set up for everyone to indulge in =)
My niece….and lots of melted chocolate for dipping
All in all over 140 children will be receiving gifts that they requested. And on top of that an additional $2500+ in grocery store gift cards was raised so that these families can get some much needed food essentials. Truly a meaningful afternoon.
Saturday night, Mr. SOTSS and I went to see the movie Wild with Reese Witherspoon. It is based on a true story about a woman who decides to walk 1,100 miles of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) after her mom dies. I won’t give away any more of the movie but as a runner I can tell you that she had some issues that are similar to marathoners….toenail issues…..chafing issues…
Sunday was another great pack hike and my ankle is literally 100 percent healed!!!! I am sort of in shock but so very happy.
That face
Duncan Rocks!
I really need to work on my balance
Isn’t he agile?
One happy pack!
This is Boone! He’s the cutest beagle ever
I will probably ease back into running on Thursday. I haven’t run in over 2 weeks! Still have the knee weirdness that started at the beginning of October so I’ll have to work on that so it doesn’t ever become a full blown injury.
And I have so exciting news. I will be doing my first ever giveaway very soon. The great people at Luna followed up with me to see if I received my gluten free bars.
Gift from Luna
When I told them I did and that I was enjoying them they said they would be more than happy to send a box of goodies to one of my readers. Woo hoo! I will be sure to post about the giveaway next week.
Have a great day!
Have you seen any movies lately? Have you ever hiked long distances? The longest I’ve ever hiked is 10 miles.
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