Back in the Race

I am pleased to announce that I am "unofficially" off the injured list.

Didn't know I was injured?  Yep, for about a YEAR now.  A YEAR!  Or at least it will be November 4th.  So, close enough.  

But those days of achy feet due to plantar fascitis and achilles tendonitis are over forever!  (I hope)  And to prove it, I even "raced" last Sunday.  And when I say raced, I mean I started a race with a group of silly people all dressed in costumes, and proceeded to run a total of 12 Kilometers through the trails of Port Gamble, Washington.  Okay, I did walk a little.  But only up some of the BIG hills.  I mean, it had been a year!  

But I don't even care, because Sunday was the annual Spooky 12k trail run, (part of the Roots, Rock Trail Run Series) and it's one of my favorite races of the year.  And it didn't let me down this year:  it was wonderful!  The weather was beautiful! The leaves were beautiful!  The runners were beautiful, except the weird ones brave ones who actually dressed up in costume.  Heck, I even felt beautiful, even though all I'd done that morning was brush my teeth, put my hair in a pony tail, don my cap, and slap on some under eye concealer.  Some things simply cannot be omitted, even on race day.

And I felt good!  I was doing what I love, with people who love it as much as me.   The pain in my feet was minor and my very unused leg muscles were carrying me through the woods.  Until the kind folks at the last water stop said, "only one mile to go!"  

Now I should have known this, I've run this race many times before!   But on this day, at this point, after a year "off," I was feeling the burn and I was done.  Or ready to be done.  My 12K should have  been a 10k.  But, I trudged along.  Off the road, onto the single track trail, down the hill, across the creek, over the oh-so- slippery logs, back up the hill on the other side, across the "meadow" and through the finish chute.   

After I crossed the finish line, I hugged my husband, who had probably been thinking, "where in the HELL is she?  She should be here by NOW?" Then I grabbed a cup of orange Gatorade (YUK, I thought it was water), my banana, and my fresh, homemade pumpkin cookie, complete with cream cheese frosting, (yum!) and walked (slowly) to the car.

"What?  You don't wanna stick around for post race activities," asked my well trained husband.  "You might get a prize!"

I would have laughed at this, but I was too tired.  And prizes were not what this day was about.  This day was more about the journey than the time.  It was about gettin it done, and then going to Dad's house for waffles; which were delicious! Thanks Dad!

And thanks, as always, to my biggest fans, for coming out and supporting me even though my "journey" took longer than usual, and you had to entertain yourselves with books and DVDs in the van, because it was so cold outside.  I love you people!  

xoxoxo--- 

Speaking of Junior, she decided to run her own race:  The Kids' Spooky 1 Miler.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to see her and cheer her on, as her race took place after I had hit the trail.  But I hear she took off from the start line like a bat outta hell, hair flying wildly behind her.  She turned around at the mid-point, got tired, slowed to a jog, then a walk, only to be told by her Dad that a girl was coming up behind her!  Well this was the kick in the ass that she needed, apparently, because she turned and looked behind her to confirm this information, and then put it into gear to get up the hill and across the finish.

I'm so proud!