…but today is not that day.
Sadly, I have 8 more days left in Bootsie. It should have come off tomorrow, but my orthopedic doctor was on emergency medical eave until next week, when he’s on a condensed schedule. So…the big day is October 21…and I might have been counting down since that appointment was made. I’d much rather have it off tomorrow…but this just gives it a little more healing time, so as much as I want to kick and scream and be rid of this cumbersome beast that’s been Velcro-ed to my leg since September 1…I’ll behave…for now.
And, of course, getting rid of Bootsie does not mean that I can immediately jump back into training. This fracture was actually pretty big. 2.6 centimeters. YIKES!! So, it will mean easing back into things. As much as I just want to hit the road again, I know I can’t. Well, I can, but gradually. Slow and steady…
Don’t get me wrong, while a downer and a burden, I haven’t let Bootsie slow me down too much. I still go to the gym. I weight train (even though I hate it) and I’ve found a sit-down elliptical that allows me to get my much-needed sweat-fest on and work my running muscles without my body weight being applied. I love and hate that freakin’ machine. But…I feel so good when I get off it. Like…I’ve accomplished something. And…I even hit the pool. A LOT.
So…aside from my already blogged about trip to Hawaii just three days after being booted up with Bootsie…a few other things have gone on…some good…some depressing…but all of it helping to shape me to be a better, well-rounded individual, athlete, and the like.
Upon my return from Hawaii, I unpacked and dragged out another suitcase in order to prepare for the big event I was looking forward to the most in September…my best friend from high school’s big day – her wedding!! I was her maid of honor, and while I was not there to do a lot of the maid of honor duties…I was assured that I did more than enough from halfway across the country. I was leaving for my old stomping grounds and hometown of Horseheads, New York on September 23…
…but before that…I had my own event to endure. And by endure, I mean it…because I had, for over a year, planned out exactly what would happen on my birthday when I turned 35…and moved up in an age division. The plan was to run the Air Force Marathon…because it’s my favorite distance, the race is not too far away, and what better way to celebrate moving up in an age division than to run a marathon, right? When the hip labrum tore, I thought to drop down to the half marathon. And when the fracture happened…it all went to hell anyway. Needless to say, I was beyond upset that my plans were all going awry on my big day. I didn’t even want to celebrate, and I LOVE my birthday. I mean…it falls on International Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19th…so you don’t have to Google that!). What’s not to love? But I just felt unexcited about it after all my planning fell through and I was out the race fee anyway. Happy Birthday, right?
But then my roommate (Cathy) and my downstairs friend/neighbor (Michelle) conspired to give me a surprise party. The guests were Cathy’s family and my neighbors downstairs…and it was perfect. I was so surprised. There was a princess theme (I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again…I am a princess!)…and Michelle even created a Skeletor (from He-Man) to go along with my She-Ra obsession…and the design I unknowingly had on my gluten-free cookie cake (compliments of Annie May’s Sweet Cafe). The cake…was amazing. The wine was good. The decorations were all over the living room and it was awesome! And the company was just what my broken heart and body needed. The laughter was unstoppable. I even got a big shopping trip to Jungle Jim’s International Market where I stocked up on all the crazy gluten-free things I haven’t seen anywhere else. Still trying to find the Rudi’s Gluten Free Texas Toast. It still eludes me. I thought if anywhere would have it, it would be Jungle Jim’s.
So…I turned 35.
And then I went back to my roots…back home…to see my friend Jen Wright get married. My flight left here around 3 pm and took me to Chicago O’Hare. Once there, I went over to Garrett Popcorn and picked up some yummy treats for the way. I ate one of the bags for dinner…haha. Well, it was a good thing I had some comfort food on hand because we were put on a ground halt due to there being too many planes in Detroit, which was my next stop and had a very tight connection. I was starting to panic a little and was contemplating getting off and finding another route…when the ground halt was lifted and we were able to take off. This still took awhile and in the short flight from Chicago to Detroit, I was on the Delta app tracking my connecting flight. As we were beginning our descent into Detroit, it was boarding. I didn’t think I was going to make it.
It was a near thing. I was trying to move as fast as possible through a crowded airport for 20 gates. Technically 10…as they are on both sides. Thank God I was in the same terminal. This would have been easier if there hadn’t been a big shopping center in the middle of the gates of this terminal. AH! I manage to weave through there and as I’m nearing the gates, from down the way at my very empty gate I hear a small voice shouting my name. I wave my hands. “THAT’S ME!” She told me to hurry because she couldn’t hold the plane any longer. AH! So I hobbled over and then they couldn’t get my ticket to scan. She told me to just get on the flight. I asked what seat I had (it hadn’t been assigned yet) and she told me to find an empty one. Okay…so I hobble down the jetway to the plane, the door being closed behind me. I get on the plane and my carry on luggage is stored with the flight attendants…and I am put in an exit row on the aisle. Blessed leg room. I agree to help out in case of an emergency and we were off. Whew. Close one for sure! But I was on a plane and bound for the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport…at last.
Jen was there when we landed and we hugged the instant we saw each other. The next few days were going to be a mad whirlwind of things that needed to be done for the wedding…and then the wedding itself. It all got done, albeit it, not always as efficiently as we hoped. She had a newborn baby boy as well, so that does take some planning around, especially when it comes to feedings and naps and the like. But…we managed. We got our nails done, helped set up the garage for the rehearsal dinner and even decorated. We got the last few things on the shopping list crossed off. We had ice cream and Frosty’s…because we were reliving our childhood together, HAHA! And we got our hair done and then…the big day arrived. And I was there with her through it all…getting her in the dress…the ceremony…the reception. I wanted the day to be perfect for her…and it sounds like it was. I might have made a lot of people cry with my speech. Everyone complimented me on it…so there is that. And…Bootsie didn’t make me miss a step as I danced the night away on the dance floor. Major thanks to Nils for being the best dance partner ever! It was a beautiful wedding and a great day. So many new memories. Cathy had driven up with my dress and wedding essentials, so I drove back home instead of flying. Long trip…and we got home straight-up at midnight. Go figure. Back to work the next morning.
With October now here, I had a few events I had been looking forward to also get knocked off the calendar due to stupid Bootsie. The first was the Kentucky History Half Marathon. It was the inaugural run of Frankfort, Kentucky’s very first half marathon. I really wanted to be a part of it because I really love my Frankfort runners. But…it wasn’t happening. The race director, however, was kind enough to let me transfer my bib to someone who could run it…free of charge. I immediately thought of my friend Kelsie, who loves the half marathon distance. She is an amazing runner and an even more amazing friend, one who I met through this very blog. The day I told her about my ankle…was pretty much the day I asked if she wanted to run the half marathon…(back in September, people…I’m not that cruel!)…and she called and said that was not a conversation to be had over text. How many friends do that anymore? She’s one in a million…and she took my bib and ran for me. She even had the announcer say that as she crossed the finish line. You can read about that in her blog here.
That very night, I went over to Slugger Field for the last home match of the night for the inaugural year of Louisville having it’s very own professional soccer team. In the USL Eastern Conference, Louisville City FC hosted the Charleston Battery in the USL Playoff Semifinals. It went into double overtime…but my favorite player, Matthew Fondy, scored twice, giving us the 2-0 lead…and the win that night. Hell of a match. We went up to Rochester, New York to play the Rochester Rhinos for the USL Eastern Conference finals…and lost 0-1, ending our season. Which sucks…but I couldn’t be prouder of the team. And the fan support has been amazing for this soccer team. Makes me proud to fly the purple and gold of Louisville City FC.
I pause briefly here to say…sometimes ugly medals make missing a race worthwhile. Another one gone by and me still locked into a boot. UGH. Yeah…this year has been rough.
BUT…instead of racing, I got to spend Saturday afternoon with my parents who were visiting Lexington, Kentucky, for a work function of my dad’s. So…that was fun. I walked around this big trade show. Got to catch up with my parental units. And it was a good day. We did a little bit of shopping after the show closed and went and got dinner at my favorite Italian trattoria, which has a huge gluten-free menu. I always get the Pasta Arrabiata though. LOL! It’s spicy good! I hated to say goodbye to my parents, but they had the drive back to Birmingham to make and I needed to get back up to Louisville.
And this week…just as crazy. Saturday I have a couple of events I’m hitting up…one of which involves hitting up the Fleur de Flea in Louisville with my neighbor, Michelle (YAY!). I love flea markets…and on top of that…my favorite gluten-free crepe food truck, Sweet ‘N Savory, will be dishing up some deliciousness. That, my friends, makes me happy. They are nearing the end of their season which will leave me crepeless until April. The other big thing is the amazing Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Iroquois Park in Louisville that night with Amanda!! So excited. We did this event last year and had a blast. How people do all of that with a pumpkin is beyond me!! It’s awesome. So, if you live in the Louisville area, make a point to go while it’s there. TOTALLY worth it.
And Sunday…I have my first official appointment with my swimming coach I hired. Why hire a swimming coach? Well, it occurred to me that, despite having spent the better part of this year in the pool due to various injuries…my swimming is not improving. It all comes down to technique and I have 5 sessions with him, which he says he can easily fix the issue. He’s a 2 time Olympian in swimming too. Which…is really kind of cool. I’m a bit nervous though, as our first session is going to be a double…2 hours in the pool. Whew. I’ll be one tuckered out little mermaid for sure. But, I really do think this will help in the long run, as I intend to keep swimming as part of my cross training. Might as well get all the kinks worked out so I can perform more efficiently.
On top of that, yesterday I found out that I was selected to be a NuttZo Ambassador! Oh yeah!! If there is one thing I love more than cookies and sweets…it’s peanut butter. And NuttZo is more than peanut butter. It is, quite honestly, the next big thing in nut butter. NuttZo is a gourmet 7 nut + seed butter, which the creators have deemed “the healthiest, most unique superbutter on the planet.” And it’s true. NuttZo is quite unique in their own way, offering up three flavors, in both crunchy and smooth, all of which contain 7 nuts + seeds in each blend. It was love at first taste for me, and my jar didn’t last long. My nut-butter loving self has never tasted anything else quite like this. To say I’m in love is an understatement. But, I am quite proud to be an athlete ambassador of this amazing product. If you haven’t tried it yet…DO SO! I first discovered it shining down from the very top shelf of the Louisville Whole Foods…the upside down jar with the right-side-up label. You can’t miss it. You can also order online…and I highly encourage this!
And in two weeks, my mom and dad are coming up to visit and we’re going to venture up to Indianapolis together for the Gluten Free Food Allergy Expo. As my mom and I are both Celiacs…this is an exciting venture. I’m pretty excited about it because my parents haven’t actually come to visit me since Thanksgiving 2010. So, it’s long overdue. I’m taking them to a city they’ve never been to. And my mom and I can share all the knowledge we gain from this event. I went last year and LOVED it. Spent way too much money, but used every single item I bought. I will also be out of the boot by then, so that’s a huge plus!
And…from there I just work hard at full recovery and getting back into running…this time minus the injuries. I know my hip will never heal, but I was just getting used to it when the fracture happened. So…back to square one. Literally. I’ve done SO little running this year it is beyond depressing. That being said, I’m going to focus a lot more on the half marathon distance and…as far as marathons go…I’ll focus more on quality rather than quantity.
As you can see, since being booted I’ve done anything but just sit around and feel sorry for myself. That’s not to say I don’t have my fair share of meltdowns. Usually on what was to be a race day. The biggest one being the night before my birthday. Thankfully, I have a lot of great people in my life who help me get through even some of the rougher days.
So…eight more days to freedom…and we roll from there.
Here goes nothing!
The Celiathlete 