Old Blog 4: Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love ya....

So I leave tomorrow on my silver jews journey. Over looking the fact I must board a plane to get this shit seen I would describe my excitement is unfettered and feverish. But heres an update of a different sort.

Im a week a way from my first ever half marathon and it seems like for every 3 steps forward I go back 2. Thats always one step of progress, right? but the backwards steps are torn from the monty python ministry of funny walks playbook. So you may have seen my new pic, the one of my hot-cha-cha sunburn. If not, check it out. I got that bad boy on my 12 mile run last Sunday. So lets work backwards in a funny walk way, shall we?

On Thursday last week, I was doing splits up the monstrous hill that will be mile six in the half marathon. The intention was to run up the dang thing 3 times to build my tolerance and legs. I was so strong feeling good and thinking four times would be possible when of the way up the second time, my left calf Charlie horsed and spasmed. I couldnt stretch it, couldnt flex my foot. I hobbled the down the hill and a mile or so back to my car. I was bummed and scared. Bummed I didnt see if I could make it up 3 times. Scared because I was 2 week away from the race 9 weeks into training and experiencing something I knew nothing about: will it heal? Am I crippled? Sucked butt, Ill tell you what.

I hobbled around Friday and Saturday, keeping my eye on the prize: the final training run of 12 miles on Sunday. I woke up Sunday stiff but determined. Some well held downward-dogs, I got dressed and set out to run. It was a little bit later than we usually start and I picked up the sunscreen knowing the sun was strong. Then I thought, hmmm. My legs are gonna be a problem. The last thing I need is non-breathable skin. Yeah, I got a base tan, I should be good. So off I went for 2 hours of running in the So Cal sun. As you can see, the cost is a wicked sunburn.

The run was good, my left leg held on although I must have coddled it because every joint ached unlike they ever have before after the fact. But the run ended at the ocean and we took off our shoes and waded in up to our hips. It was icy cold but felt good on the gams.

So today, sufficiently recovered from the 12 mile jaunt, I went back to the hill for a few run-ups. I wore a tshirt so that I wouldnt let the 6pm sun get the chance to fuck with me. So I start running, the calf was good, I was up on my toes for the first time in a week. Three steps forward. Things were fine but halfway up my first hill, I notice my upper body and face are sweating unlike anything I have encountered EVER. I am thinking the whole way that my measly total of 14 miles last week had me atrophy and Im a sorry ass runner all of sudden. I got to the top, wiped my face and headed back down, sweating wildly and totally embarrassed to make eye contact with ANYONE feeling so out of shape. I went back up for a second one, intending three times, and the sweat was getting alarming, when I descended that second time I chalked the day up to a bad run and headed back to the car. Two steps back. I called my training partner to give her the update and admit shamefully I gave up after two hills because Im was a sweaty piglet. As I told her this, I go to wipe some sweat off my neck and feel something x-files alien creepy: lumpy, bumpy, blistery, slippery skin. EEEWWWW!!! I shriek. Kitty was all like What?! I tell her and ominously she explains that my sunburn made my skin into a leather coat so my body was sweating erratically trying to break through to cool me off. Yep, sure enough, I dont know if this is technically blistered but I have all these little sweat filled bumps all over my sunburned shoulders!!

Thats what happens when a see-through skinned Alaskan thinks she knows how to rock the so cal sun.

Im off to Chicago where, even if warm, the sun is not so hot so heres to hoping all my steps are forward from here on out.

Wish me luck, wings and planes that remain in the sky