Cruisin' After A Bruisin'...The Rest Of The 5K Race Story

Almost 11 weeks of 12 weeks

weight today: same

total lost: 9 pounds in almost 11 weeks

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of sugar:15
few small cookies at church:100
some creamer in a small coffee:20
total: 445

3 oz chicken breast:105
1 tsp of Smart Balance light butter:15
1/2 cup of brown rice:85
total:205
---------------
running total: 650

Jimmy John's turkey sub with no mayo, with cheese and mustard:422
1 tbl of powder creamer in tea:30
2 tsp of sugar:30
total: 482
------------
running total:1,132

1/2 graham cracker sheet:35
1 Pirouline Hazelnut chocolate:50
total: 85
--------------
running total: 1,217

Today's challenge: staying on-calorie and trying to get around with my bruised-up knees. I actually slipped down three steps this morning in the house and landed hard on my right leg. I was walking down the stairs trying to keep my right knee straight because it hurts to bend it, and so that's probably why I slipped.

Actual fitness: a forced off day because of bruised knees.

Note on caffeine: I was so cold at church today that I actually made myself a little coffee containing caffeine because it was hot. It was about a 1/2 cup of coffee.

Note on picture: This is what I received for the way I finished in my age group on Saturday for the 5K run.

Cruisin' After A Bruisin'

The Rest Of The 5K Story

Sorry to leave you all hanging yesterday, but it's not every day I fall down in the middle of a race.

Ok...so where was I...

I quickly realized there was nothing I could to stop myself from falling.

Oddly enough I was not panicked, frightened or unnerved by the process of falling down. I recall it clearly because it felt like it was happening in slow motion. Once I knew I was falling I just kind of let myself fall. It actually felt a little slow to me.

It completely reminded me of the fall I took several weeks ago on dry ground on the sidewalk of a busy street. In that circumstance I fell and then quickly popped back up and kept going. But there were a few differences with this fall.

With this fall, I hit pretty hard, but just like last time, I popped back up. While I was falling or getting up from the fall a guy running slightly behind me paused and actually reached for me. My friend from high school called out to me. Also, there were some race officials not too far ahead who perhaps said something but I can't quite recall what.

But after I got back up, I gave everyone the thumbs up sign and continued on with the same pace. It didn't occur to me until after the race that the two pair of gloves that I had decided to wear on each hand because I didn't want to be cold probably saved my hands from being scraped up.

When I fell several weeks ago, my hands were sore.

It took me about a hundred yards to begin to feel a dull ache in my right knee. I steeled myself against compromising my pace for the ache. There was no way I was going to quit now or to slow down. If anything the fall sent some adrenaline shooting through my body.

But about 1/2 a mile after the fall, I could definitely admit that my right knee hurt with every step. "ouch...ouch...ouch...ouch..."

I could also hear my old high school friend behind me. We are in the same age group, so I knew if I let up, I might be giving up a place.

When we turned the corner into the last stretch, I felt surprised that it was already upon us. Despite the bruised knees, I could tell that the rest of my legs felt good and I wanted to push it to the end.

So I did.

I finished with a time of 22:26 which is faster than the 22:38 from a few weeks ago. My friend finished second (for our age group) with a 22:32. There were 45 in our age group. Overall, I finished eighth out of 161 women.

It wasn't until about 20 minute after the race and I was sitting down did I notice the goose-egg on top of my right knee cap. ( I could see it's shape through my running tights.) My left leg had two goose-eggs, one on the knee cap and one just below it, that you could also see through the tights.

I eventually went to some race organizers and got it bandaged and iced. When they were handing out awards the lady mentioned that I had fallen and still finished with a first in my age group.

During the course of my running career, I've run in the winter and in the summer. What's interesting is that I've never fallen on my runs on icy sidewalks or slippery conditions. It's like I've got Wisconsin winter running legs or something, but give me a dry sidewalk, and not only will I show you how to fall, I'll show you how to get back up like it never happened. Isn't that funny?

But I will admit, this particular fall has me hobbling around in pain today. Because my right knee cap is so swollen, I can't do a weight lifting leg work-out because of the bending involved or a run for the same reason until the swelling goes down. Also because it's bruised there are strange sharp pains that I feel when I move it a certain way.

In fact I slipped down three steps this morning because of trying to keep my right leg straight. So, now I have a bruise on my right leg.

My husband who makes me laugh says that my gimpy straight-legged walk reminds him of the swaggering sheriff who comes into town.

You have to admit that was funny.

So, that's the story. Hopefully I'll be able to exercise tomorrow.

There is a race I'd like to run next Saturday, so hopefully I can do that.

Oh, my sister-in-law, who's seven weeks pregnant, placed 5th in her age group in the 5-mile run with a time of 39:45. She's very happy to break 40 minutes which is faster than an eight minute mile average. She also mentioned that she didn't feel too naseous.

Have a nice Monday y'all!