What a Year!

Yep...it's that time of year...time to look back. I spent the morning looking back through this year's compendium of blogs, and it was enlightening. I learned a lot this year, about myself, about running, about life, about what to care about, and probably most importantly, what to let go of.

What a cool thing having a blog is...a running record (no running-pun intended) of my life. But before I begin with the details, a few generalizations I could make about about my life and this blog over this past year.

• Damn I'm wordy...how the "eff" did you all READ all that? I thank you all for reading and especially for commenting on my (too often) waaaaaay too long posts.
  
• I had way too many foot injuries this year. I wrote a couple weeks ago about the irony of ending 2009 with a stress fracture in my left foot seeing as the year started with a torn left IT band issue. I'm still shaking my head at this.
• On the other hand, if I'd never hurt myself, I'd never have discovered cycling, which I now love, even though I still think of cycling as "the nice guy." I mean I don't have a stress fracture as a result of biking. I have it as a result of running. Running is still my love and it still hurts.
• Despite the injuries, I had LOTS of laughs and LOTS of mimosas this year. I am truly blessed. This I know.
  

So, without further ado...here's another massive word-spill. Settle in, or skim...you choose :-). I didn't include any backlinks because I figure, really, who's gonna read all of THIS let alone go back and re-read anything from the year?

January - The First Injury, Bruising, Carlsbad 1/2, and Cancer

• I started off the year healthy and running 8-10 miles getting ready for the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon. This was really the hardest part to read when I look back and see where I was a year ago...running 8 to 10 miles easily and I was getting faster too.
  
• It the second SDTC training run, my ITB popped (I called it my Hip, but it was the ITB), probably due to weakness, not enough stretching, and overuse. I spend the next two weeks trying to rest and recover and pretty much freaking out because I was supposed to run Carlsbad.
  
• Despite the injury and some pain, I ran the Carlsbad 1/2 (First leg of the San Diego Triple Crown) with Betty, Mik, and Alberta. I had a GREAT time and ran the whole way (except for the end) with Betty. Ran with Penny. Met Yas as I was exiting the parking lot. Unfortunately after the race I had this...

• Oh yeah...I learned that my mom had lung cancer and flew to Vegas to visit doctors with her.
  

February - PF (Right Foot) & Mom's Cancer Surgery

• Mom's lung cancer surgery was a success (well...as successful as cutting out part of one's lung can be). I made two trips to Vegas to be with her and my dad.
  
• My ITB issues led to my first bout with Plantar Fasciitis...GAH!
  
• Several visits to first PT helped to "cure" my PF as well as the torn ITB. I spent lots of the month icing, stretching, and slowly trying to get back into running. I got freezer-burn from leaving ice on my thigh for too long. I tore up countless frozen dixie cups icing the bottom of my foot. I taught my PT that "whale tail" has multiple meanings.
  
• Oh...and I went skiing a couple of times with the family and with BBJ and Wilma.
• I won a pair of biking gloves from NikeMom and began considering biking as an alternative to running
  

March - More PF and Recovery (too much, too fast)

• Somehow I ran the Sue Kren 15K
• Elsie went on her "3rd date" with the PB
• I futzed around with shoes (NB 1224s vs. Saucony Hurricanes...anyone?) because THAT must have been the reason I was having so many foot issues.
• I visited mom in Vegas again, and I cooked a load of food and froze it.
  
• I tried to slowly build up mileage with the SDTC and eventually worked my way up to a 13.5 mile run.
  
• The herd didn't get into the Nike Women's 1/2 (boo hoo) this year.
  
• I started riding and rode my first 10 mile ride on old mountain bike, which still had mountain bike tires.
  

April - Clipless Pedals, Smelly Whales, More Vegas, La Jolla 1/2, and Fame

• I ran the first 12 miles of "The Train Run," then stopped due to PF pain in the RIGHT foot. We almost lost Betty at the train station, but I found her.
  
• I changed out the tires on mountain bike to make it into a pseudo-road-bike-like and bought clippless pedals.
• Fell over
  
• I went to Vegas to visit parents over spring break. There Walter, DramaGirl, Turbo and I hung out, had fun, and did no running.
• I returned from my Vegas rest and did some "training runs" to prepare for the La Jolla 1/2 Marathon. Ran on the beach at Torrey Pines and took pictures of smelly, dead whale.
• Famous ex-blogger Marcy bestowed upon me BOTW honors and a few more peeps discovered The Hefferblog
• I got backstage at Foreigner due to Mona's persistence.
• Betty, Mik, Alberta, Elsie and I ran the La Jolla 1/2 Marathon. I almost PB'd. Darn Heat.
• Met Lisa at the La Jolla 1/2
  
• Betty bought a new bike
  

May - A PR, Nice Guys, PF RETURNS, and Flats

• A week after the La Jolla 1/2 Marathon, I ran the Union-Tribune Race for Literacy 8K with Walter and got a PB!
  
• Unfortunately, the PF returned with a vengeance and I had to take almost the whole rest of the month off from running.
  
• I continued bike riding with Betty and continued to fall over due to clipless pedals.
• Clarence started joining us on our rides which included several rides over 20 miles.
  
• After several weeks of no-running, the herd joined the SDTC at thier last training run before the RnR marathon. My foot ached at the end. (I didn't write much about it, but I do remember it). The following week Mik, Betty, and I rode our bikes while cheering for friends who were running the marathon.
  
• Due to a series of flat tires, the herd learned how to change tires (and had a hysterical time doing so).

June - More PF, More Flat Tires, and a New PT

• Yes, more PF issues arose in June, this time on the left foot, and for the first time, I started complaining about foot problems on the TOP of my foot (right foot this time).
• I pretended to swim a little.
  
• I ran the IronGirl 10K and again hated running on the Poli-crap.
• I started writing about running the Las Vegas 1/2, hoping that the herd would be excited about running with me. I registered for the race despite this. So did BBJ.
  
• On the June 10, Tuesday night SDTC workout in Balboa Park, I stopped doing the workout due to PF pain.
• We went riding and I had more flat tires (As it turned out, my that tires needed to be "fully inflated." I had under-inflated them, thus the flat tires...can I hear a "duh!").
• At the end of June, while surfing with Betty, I completely felt a lot POP and RIP in my left PF and almost have to be carried up the beach. Worst freekin' pain I've ever had in my life!
  
• Started seeing a new PT at Rehab United (Irene's recommendation). I hadn't run for 12 days at that point. Brett, my PT, taught me how to stretch properly and that I needed to do some strength training because my hips were weak and my achilles and calves too tight. This is what was (and is) causing all the injuries. I start going to PT 3 times a week.
  

July - The Bush and PT

• Had a bush named for me.

• I rode my bike a lot
  
• I went to PT a lot
  
• Fretted (a lot) about being ready to run the AFC 1/2 Marathon in August
• I spent a week in Oakland at a conference and met JoLynn! In Oakland I had to walk (a lot) and was continually reminded that I wasn't recovered. Continued to do PT exercises in VERY SMALL hotel room.
• Betty and Mik ride around Lake Tahoe...I'll never miss an event like that AGAIN!
• Started running again (very little).
• I bought a new road bike!!!!

August - Home remodel, Vay-Kay, AFC 1/2, the Triple Crown and Vegas

• We began a home remodel and so I lived at a construction site.
  
• We took a vacation to Lake Tahoe. I did a three mile trail run.
• I fretted some more about not being prepared to run a 1/2 marathon at the end of the month.
  
• Somehow, someway, I managed to run and finish the AFC 1/2 Marathon. Betty, Mike, Alberta, and I did all three triple crown 1/2 marathons this year and earned our triple crown medal. I ran in a running skirt. Mik ran in stapled pants.
• The herd got in some face-time on the local NBC affiliate when we were interviewed about our day-glo, lime-green, shirts after the end of summer fire run.
• The herd (all 12 of us...Edith opted out) went to Vegas for Momma's 60th birthday. We wore red hats and saw Bette Midler and did all sorts of other things that will stay in Vegas.
  

September - More cycling, Some running, School started

• Pretty much the headline says it all. School started. We finished our home remodel. We ran some, we rode some, and we had some mimosas. I decided (with much prompting from Walter, my PT, and pretty much everyone I know) to NOT run the Long Beach 1/2. A last minute opportunity to run the Nike Women's 1/2 was tempting, but I passed it by too. I wrote a LOT of random posts about SkyMall magazine, things I found at Costco, and humorous exercise implements.

October - Insurance sucks, iP5, missed runs, & Zensah

• In October, my fabulous insurance provider informed me that they were NOT going to cover the vast majority of my PT appointments that I THOUGHT had been approved.
  
• I got my first pair of Zensah compression socks in pink, which ROCK, no matter what color they are, and I missed a lot of runs and went to happy hour instead.
  
• Mik stubbed her toe and rode in a bike shoe and a flipflop and still kicked my and Betty's ass on the hills.
• PF and other foot pain flared up during the Light The Night 5K (a race which Walter did with me, and in which I lost him in the crowd before it even began). After that I took another week off from running to recover.
  
• I dropped another iPhone in the toilet.
  

November - Skunks and not enough training

• Mik, Elsie and I met Glenn at the Shelter Island 5K (which ended with the wonderful Champagne breakfast...how can you NOT LOVE this race?)
• My left foot hurt at the end, but I decided to keep a somewhat regular running schedule anyway because I had a 1/2 marathon to run!
  
• I channeled McGyver and recovered my dropped iPod Shuffle from behind my stove.
• A skunk attacked our house.
• I went for an 8 mile run with the SDTC. This would be my longest run before the Vegas 1/2 marathon.
  
• We went to Palm Springs for Thanksgiving. Had a fabulous family SoCal holiday and I managed to get in two 5 mile runs. That would have to be enough training for Vegas because that's all the time there was.
  
• I fretted A LOT about not having trained enough for the Las Vegas 1/2 and then some more about what to wear because it was gonna be COLD
  

December - Vegas 1/2 and The Stress Fracture

• Vegas 1/2 Marathon was even colder than expected. I ran the whole race, but it was my slowest 1/2 mary ever. Walter ran the first part of the race with me and was, overall, the best husband (and Sherpa) in the world. Despite the cold, the slow time, and the never-ending walk after the race, I had a great time in Vegas visiting family, friends, and mostly just hanging out with Walter.
  

• A week after returning from Vegas, on a five mile recovery run with Betty and Elsie, I almost had to stop (and probably should have) after 2.5 miles because my left foot hurt so bad. I finished the five-mile run regardless. Later that week, when the swelling didn't subside, I finally went to see a doctor. Stress fracture. Confirmed. No running for 4 weeks. GAH!

This morning I also, hesitantly, took a look at my mileage for the year. It's not all that impressive. I've probably shorted myself at least 20 miles in the running for those times when the Garmin didn't work, or when I forgot to put it on, and there are probably somewhere around 100 miles or so on the 'mill, (I'd logged about 70 miles on the treadmill by May, but then I stopped keeping track) but still not that impressive...really it's barely even enough miles for a new pair of running shoes.

Year Totals

• Running - 425.93 miles
• Cycling - 556.21 miles

So...the year ends in some ways a whole heckuva lot differently than it began. I'm sidelined from running for a couple more weeks, at least...AND I'm itching to run right now because my foot feels BETTER...but it's probably not, so I'm being a good girl and staying off it. I'll just keep to the running right now. I'm looking at re-joining a gym for the first time in five years, so that I have something to do to cross train, especially in the winter when I cannot ride and even when my foot's better and I should not run more than three days a week.

I'm putting together some other goals for the year (imagine that among them will be to stay healthy), but since this word-dump is getting into the far-too-long to read stage, I'll leave it for another post...maybe in a day or two.

I have no idea how to end this rather long post...suffice it to say that at year's end, I'm still running (or at least looking forward to it...I've rejoined the SDTC, but I'll be missing the first couple of training runs); I'm now riding a lot and getting better at it; my mom is doing well; Walter is still putting up with me; my kids are great; and I've got another year of running, riding, and fun ahead of me.