wasatch your back

it has been an interesting last two weeks to say the least. tuesday while training i injured my foot. i discovered later that it was either a stress fracture or sprained metatarsol filangy joint (i'm sure i slaughtered that spelling) anyway, i was out of training for a bit--a week and a half before the wasatch back...dr. edwards (sarah's dad) put me on ibuprofen, but i never take pills so it made me really sick to my stomach. i had to quit the painkillers and just stay off my foot. i stayed off for a week then thursday (the day before the wasatch back) i decided i should run two miles to make sure my foot would hold out. well, before i went running i decided i would eat a granola bar that contained nuts and sunflower oil. stupid mistake. i did my two miles with no problem. on the way home i was coughing pretty bad and when i got in the shower i started to break out into hives. i sat there for at least 20 minutes just praying the itching and swelling would go away cause i really didn't feel like having an allergic reaction right then. it kept getting worse till i could feel my face swelling up, which has never happened before, so i thought it would be a good idea to get out and go to a doctor. i told my dad he needed to take me to the hospital...i found it hilariously ironic (after the fact) that he was mad at me the whole way to the hospital because i was having an allergic reaction...as if i could help it...(i just told him, you're the one that assisted in creating me so it's your fault i'm allergic-i didn't actually say that but had i been in a level state of mind i would have)...anyway, it turned out to be the worst case of anaphilactic shock i've ever had and the most traumatic of instacare visits of my life...3 SHOTS! painful ones too...i just laid there wishing i could die as the evil nurses stabbed me all too willingly with long, big, sharp, thick needles...then the nurse started flipping out cause my heart rate wouldn't get above 60 despite the adrenaline she stabbed into me. i had to explain to her that 60 is an increased heart rate for me or else she would have TRIED to stick an i.v. in me--but then things would have really gotten ugly (think hulk "you wouldn't like me when i'm angry" type of ugly). my eyes were still a little marlon brando-ish the rest of the night and my body was extremely worn, but i felt okay. however, instead of going right to bed when i got home from the hospital i went out and ended up getting about 4 hours of sleep that night.


i was runner 3 for the "homestar runners", so i ran 5.6, 4.9, and 5.1. the relay goes from logan to park city and covers almost 180 miles overall. the running part itself of course was fun, but half the fun is in the trip itself. let me just tell you i've always dreamed of being crammed in a van with 6 other people i barely know for over 24 hours with 2 1/2 hours of sleep, eating only granola bars and crackers, and smelling like we all just ran at least 15 miles...i won't say i loved every minute of it, but in all honesty i truly appreciate it now and would do it again in a heart beat. i know the 6 other van members a lot better now and they probably know me better than they ever wanted to.
leg 1 (3), 5.6 miles, 56 minutes- surprisingly, this was my slowest leg. i started around 1 p.m. so it was blistering hot outside and i hate drinking water while i run so i should have died of heat stroke. i ran through a rural area somewhere south of logan and past a lake i wished so badly i could jump in. i eventually started passing more houses with their sprinklers on and a little boy with a hose who happily sprayed me as i ran by. even though i went to the bathroom before i started i had to go again with one mile left. there was no way i could have held it for that long so i didn't even try. don't worry, i had a change of clothes waiting for me at the exchange.


leg 2 (15), 4.9 miles, 47 minutes- i started this leg a little before 10 p.m. after eating subway (which josh lost before running and i think everyone else wished they could have). for those who don't know me well, i am terrified of the dark so i was not really looking forward to being alone in a rural area with no street lights or signs of civilization except rapists and axe murderers...there were other runners on the road, but i passed two at the first and the rest were too far ahead of me to help any. i was too scared to watch the road so i pretty much ran the whole thing with my head up looking at the stars wishing i could just die...or fly to the end, that would be cool. anyway, when i crossed the exchange i ran straight to the porta-potty, sat down and started bawling. i think the mixture of fatigue physically and emotionally really got to me and i could have sat there for a good 30 minutes letting it all out but then i remembered my parents were out there so i should go talk to them..so 30 seconds later i put on a face and went to my team. they asked how it felt and i wasn't about to lie so i said "shit". that pretty much sums up that leg.


leg 3 (27), 5.1 miles, 45 minutes (PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED)- after our van finished our night time legs we drove to a jr. high where showers were available and wrestling mats for sleeping. it was probably one of the most refreshing showers i've ever taken in my life. when we walked into the gym with all of the wrestling mats where people were sleeping i felt like i had just walked into a refugee camp. there were tons of people snooring which i found kind of soothing and i was out like a light for 2 1/2 hours. then we had to get up and run our last legs. we started a little before 7 a.m. so luckily it wasn't too hot. before the race my stomache was doing its own thing probably cause i was nervous to see if i'd even be able to finish this leg in a decent amount of time. or at all. once i started though it didn't take too long to get into my groove and i was so excited to be finishing. this was definitly the funnest of all the legs. i felt like i paced myself well and i had a downhill which was so refreshing! i was in such a good mood throughout this leg so i was cheering everyone else on as i passed them or they passed me. i had a feeling i was going to have to pee during this leg, but i put in an honest effort to hold it in. i had about half a mile left and i kept thinking, i don't think i have any clean underwear left. then i thought, it won't be that bad to go commando (i know, way more info than you wanted), not to mention i don't think i'll be able to finish if i stop. when i crossed the exchange point i said, "well, there goes my last pair of underwear".


our team finished in about 28 hours and 45 minutes. i was surprised at how well i personally did considering the circumstances. i didn't even feel pain in my foot until the last leg which was truly a huge blessing. it took a few days before i could eat something solid without feeling sick and my hamstrings to loosen up (i just wish they looked how they felt), but i'm fully recovered now and ready to start training again for my next adventure.
peace+love