Take Care of Your Feet

Happy...Wednesday!

Last week was full of mud and puddles. Even though we lost our sunshine and bluesky, the week was full of smiles and great adventures. It was a great week except for everything below my knees!

After an easy 2hour trail run last Monday I noticed the start of plantar fasciitis in both of my feet- especially the right. Whenever an injury comes on that suddenly my first thought goes to the date of my shoe purchase. Conveniently I had jiffy markered the date right onto the size label on the tongue of my shoes (I know I might as well jiffy Left and Right onto my hands while I am at it). Aha...time for new shoes. Even though I have 3 pairs on the go at any given time (one for distance trail, one for technical/race trail, and one for the road), they still wear out faster than I think.

RICE

Then on Saturday John and Liz and I met at the Lake for our highest climb yet. The first thing I noticed when I was tightening up my laces...was I was wearing my lawnmower shoes. You know the ones. When your runners are toast and you hold onto them for working in the garden and walking the dog because they just fit soooo well and are all broken in and you don't want to chuck them.

I ran anyways. My shoes were, um, floppy, to say the least.

After they dragged me up to the top of Jake the Snake from the lake (3500feet?) we celebrated in the snow of Forbidden Plateau ski hill (at the old lodge) before beginning our descent. We were flying!

At the top of 2 Sheiks I sprained my ankle. Pretty badly. I had to run back to the car downhill for 40 minutes.

Then I had to lead a 2.5hour mountain hike that afternoon. Oooops.

RICE

And so, I have a sprained ankle, shinsplints (from running downhill in the lawnmower shoes) and still some nagging fasciitis (from the old trail runners). Not a great week to be my feet.

Acupuncture today!
Traumeel everyday!
No running since last Saturday...
Come on baby...

Onto all the other wonderful things about last week!

Our Members Event at Coastal Trek Lodge was a blast! We were 15 happy hikers! Normally this is a snowshoeing event...but there is nearly zero snow at Forbidden this year. So, I had the pleasure of sharing some of my favorite running and biking trails with the gang.

We went back to the scene of the crime (ankle sprain) and I was thrilled to share these special spots with our members...cascading waterfall...glacial fed pools...raging creeks...log crossings...steep descents...leading back to steep ascents...snowy ridges...dense forest paths...



Man did I get thirsty after all that hiking!

And then it was back to the lodge at Coastal Trek for about 5 hours of relaxing, stretching, hot tub and steaming, massages, fireside sipping and of course a fabulous dinner with friends!

Thank you for a wonderful annual Members Event! Looking forward to the next one already!!

Sunday I rode my bike with my rat friends. The ankle was pretty good on the bike- better than walking anyways! These rats have been busy beavers in the Cumberland trails all winter. I finally had the pleasure of riding one of their latest construction projects...on their new trail: Thirsty Beaver. First time I have riden 15 - 20 feet off the deck...over a waterfall nonetheless! OK the bridge was about 3 feet wide!!

Stay tuned for the completion of this new trail...it is going to be the one to run and ride this summer!

The sun is shining! I need to go!

SS