Back to back

Well, the knee still hurts (pretty badly).  But I still made it through two 5Ks last weekend.  First up was the Culinaria 5k at La Sonterra.

with one of my favorite fotogs - Scottydog (this was his 17th or 18th race of the year)

On Sunday, I ran the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k (for colon cancer, which Scottydog beat - and never gave up - he ran too)

Next up:  more back to back -- I'm running the Tapatio Springs 5k (I dropped down from the 10k) on Saturday night and the April Fools' 5k on Sunday.

And then, I am putting on my big girl pants and going to the damn doctor about this knee.  I hate it - I just know the first words are going to be "stop running." (but I won't listen - my big girl pants cover my ears)

Thanks to Scotty for the pics!

dang joints - all around

So, my right knee is still deformed and hurting.  The other knee just aches.  And I really, really was thinking about maybe (not really) going to the MD.  But, instead I went to the DVM - because Gwen was limping.  She hated it as much as I hate the MD:

I tried to crowd her x-ray to get a dual diagnosis for the $49 exam fee, but, apparently, all doctors are against me.  He did glance at my knee and say "wow, you need to get that evaluated."  Excellent.  The good news is that Gwen is just probably older than I think, has a shoulder strain, and osteoarthritis.  We're now on the same meds - a ton of 'motrin' and joint juice (glucosamine/chondrontrin) - but hers is beef flavored and mine just tastes like crud.

So, to heck with the docs - I ran the inaugural Alamo 13.1 half marathon on Sunday.  It was a nice race along routes I usually run, but it was hot.  I wore compression tights for my knee, even though I dislike tights almost as much as doctors - especially in the heat.  But I did get a fabulous pic!

It was around mile 4-6, and I heard the gal in the blue shorts talking
Blue shorts (to friend):  There's a photographer, pull your shorts down and smile
Me (conversation bombing):  No, no - you pose.  Like THIS!
Photographer: AWESOME.  you rock!

So, that made me feel better/ignore the knee for a bit -- until we climbed Trinity University.  Even worse was the descent.  I won't lie - the last 3 miles hurt like heck.

 But I made it and was supplied with my favorite painkiller - Alamo Ale (thanks, Eugene & Jackie!).

the bling made it hurt less too

And then I iced and rested.  Next up - 2 5ks this weekend.  Because I'm not sure which I dislike more: doctors or my right knee.

Thanks to JohnO, Yvonne, and Brightroom for the pics

quick story - did not fall down

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Well, I ran the Donovan's St. Patrick's Day 5k last Saturday in the cold and wet, but it felt better to post in now, when it's closer to St. Patrick's Day and practically Summer outside.

My knees were still killing me, so I actually wore compression tights.  I hate running in tights, but my knees needed help (as you can see from my finish time).

Here's the before:

and with my buddy and fotog, Scottydog

At least I made it through this race without falling down - here's the frame-by-frame finish

and a fine crazy running chicken finish - or maybe that's a new pose - T Rex?

But, it was worth it - at the finish, enjoying a Harp Ale

I'd also like to send a BIG congratulations to my buddy, Amy, and her husband, Chris, with whom I had the pleasure of sharing dinner recently.  They adopted this guy (Beckett) in San Antonio - and I'm picking him up on waivers for my mostly-nephew 2025-2030 Green Bay Packers Offensive Line.

Thanks to Ceci, IAAP, Scottydog, and Amy for the pics.

Next up - Alamo 13.1 half marathon on Sunday.  This may hurt (a lot).

Everybody gets knocked down - how quick are you gonna get up?

One of my favorite songs to run to is The Hours's Ali in the Jungle 

It's, not, how you start, it's how you finish,
And it's, not, where you're from, it's where you're at,
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Just how are you gonna' get up?

I was pretty much humming those lyrics all weekend. 

It started with a normal run with the Brak Pak on Thursday evening.  Just a regular, mostly road, run.  Until I rolled on a rock and found my face accelerating toward the asphalt at an alarming speed.  Luckily (?), my right knee took the brunt of it.  After finishing the run and heading home - I realized how BAD the knee looked.  I would have taken pictures, but it made me queasy to even look at it - like a golfball was sitting on top of my kneecap under the skin.  SCARY - so I ignored it, took a boat-load of ibuprofen, and covered the knee with ice (my medical treatment for 90% of all ailments).

Luckily (again), by Friday morning, after ice, compression, and elevation, the golfball-kneecap receded, and I was left with a sore, bruised knee and an aching body.  So, I went for a test run/walk with a buddy who just finished the bar exam on Friday night and killed my pain with margaritas and ceviche (my medical treatment for 90% of all ailments).

On Saturday morning, I ran the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas 5k.  It hurt, but my knee (and aching body) made it. Without falling.

 AND came in 1st Female 35-39.  Partly because the fast chicas - like Roche on my right - ran the 10k.

  and then I went home and iced my knee (the right one) and munched on ibuprofen.

Sunday morning was the Paesano's 10k trail run.  I fall on trails, but have never fallen during this (pretty technical trails) race.  Until now.  It all started out well enough - nice weather, and nice and easy on a sore knee and achy body.

It was a nice run until almost mile 5, where the trail smoothed out some, with just occasional rocks.  Unfortunately, I found one and went flying - hitting my left knee and knocking the wind out of myself.  But I got up - and finished pretty bloody.

and looking like a crazy running chicken in pain

Here's what THAT injury looked like, even after it had been cleaned and bandaged by the EMT (that sucker would NOT stop bleeding - pretty gruesome).

So, all told, I hurt, but it could have been MUCH worse - both falls, that is.  And I got up - both times. Because you just gotta get up.

Thanks to Ceci, IAAP, SAPhotographers, and Kevin G. Saunders photography for the pics.  Thanks to the running gods for allowing me not to land on my head or break anything (hopefully).