Calf/Achilles

I was joking with Valerie that I did not have that much to whine about lately, so I have not written in a while.  The truth is, I have been out of town and on vacation.  We went skiing with our family and our dear friends, the Shennings, our Framily.  We have been together a few times before and we are still friends.   Nine of us in one townhome for a week.  We really had a good time, and we have had a good time every time.  Already thinking about next year.
 

I tried to be good and continue my training while I was on vacation.  I ran almost every day I was there.  Then I went out and skied all day.  And a few times walked the mountain instead of taking the tram.  7200ft elevation and we were staying well up the mountain.  Every run started with a one mile downhill trek.  Then some running around town and around the base of the mountain, then I had to figure a way to make it back up the mountain.   Unfortunately it was too early for the chair lifts to be running.  Most of the days I was not able to run up the hill/mountain with a normal pace, so I would run hard for 100-200 yards, then walk, then run, then walk... you get the idea.  It was my attempt to train some cardio and get the miles in one way or another.  I was pretty proud of myself.  I assumed that the thin air training and the uphill training would be beneficial for me.

I did not run on the last morning, travel day because my calves were hollering at me a little.  We got back late Tuesday night and I did not run Wednesday either although I played racquetball instead.  Felt pretty good.  I really intended to run Thursday (yesterday), but... I dunno... I just didn't feel like it.  So, I had a few days off and decided to run this afternoon (Friday).  I started running and felt pretty good.  Calves were sore, but no big deal.  Most of you will not believe this, but I actually stretched my calves before I started running.  OMGoodness, what is next, yoga? essential oils?  Vegan diet? -- I'm nervous.

I got about a mile into my run and my right calf started to hurt.  It will go away.  It will be fine.  I'll survive.  Just keep running.  At 1.5 miles I decided to stop and stretch my calf some more.  I know, crazy!  Then I decided to continue with the full intention of ignoring the pain.  -- I'll skip the drama -- I quit at 1.8 miles.  Now I am having difficulty walking.

I guess I have found something to whine about.  Hey, I've got an idea.. why not whine on my blog.  Ding ding ding.... we have a whiner.

This is bothersome for me.  I have a race in Little Rock NEXT WEEKEND.  A mere 8 days to heal.  Ughhhh.

Apparently, this type of injury is attributed to over use, trail running (which I was doing at the time), and uphill running... hmmmm.  Arghhh!!!

OK... many of you are well wishers and experts in different areas... so, I will tell you what I have done so far.  
FIRST, I stopped running and watched Noble's football game.  
2.  I came home and iced my calf for 20 min.  
3.  I had some ice cream (It made me feel better) with fudge (it was dark chocolate fudge and I hear dark chocolate is good for you, so it must be medicinal).  
4.  I whined about it on social media.  (this did not make me feel better like the ice cream, but I felt like all my friends needed to know. LOL)  
5.  I began to whine... er.... blog about it.  
6.  I sniffed some essential oils.  (I am just kidding... I joke about the oils because it seems to be the latest craze.  Seems like everybody I know sells oils and/or real-estate).  I do have some samples that people have given my wife and I think I am gonna splash on some peppermint and wait for healing.  7.  I am ready to ice again.  -- stand by, I'm gonna go get some ice now..................

OK... I am back.  I just talked with my daughter and she offered me some deep blue lotion.  I think I will slather that on there.  Now that I think about it, I have several racquetball buddies who swear by Tiger Balm.  I don't know what is in these things, but I am thinking about trying them all... at the same time.  Now we are talking results.  More is better, right?!?!?!  

I have fond memories of being in my great grandmother's house.  We called her Great.  She was very sweet to us kids.  I was the youngest.  I remember she ALWAYS had a bowl of peppermints, the soft ones that would melt in your mouth.  I would sneak SEVERAL of them even beyond what she offered me.  Then I would get a glass of ice water.  The feeling inside my mouth of the ice and the tingly feeling from all the peppermint was a great feeling.  Makes me think of Great.  That is how I feel right now with the peppermint oil that I just bathed in, I mean rubbed on my leg and the ice, it seems to intensify the cold... but it feels kinda good.  Who knows, I may just be all better in the morning. LOL.

A few of my friends have told me that the best protocol is RICE.  I wasn't sure if that was cooked or uncooked, brown, long-grain, or sticky.  It is all so confusing.  I have a pot of minute rice going right now.  Maybe that will do the trick.  

BTW... the whole rolling thing...  O....M....Goodness!!!!!  I abhor rolling.  It hurts so bad.  It makes me wanna cry.  I am NOT doing that!!  Why would anyone subject themselves to that?  I have no idea.  It is really just my legs though.  When I get massage therapy, I often tell the therapist to DIG.  I have stated several times, "You will have a hard time hurting me, so go after it, and DIG".  A few took that to heart and really TRIED to hurt me.  I LIKE when they use deep, firm pressure on my neck and back.  It feels GOOD.... but on my thighs, particularly and to a slightly lesser extent, my calves, IT JUST PLAIN HURTS.  Hurts like I wanna cry, hurts.  Rolling is like that.  IT JUST HURTS!!  

Anyway, the part that is bumming me out is that I have a race in Arkansas next weekend and I am afraid that this is going to sideline me.  I would rather not have to run walk or worse yet, drop out.  That would be a major disappointment for me.  

My faith tells me that I should pray and call upon the church to pray with/for me, and use the best that modern medicine has to offer me.  The irony and humor is that the text reads, "13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,"  This should be funny to all of my essential oil friends... but, as I understand it, the meaning of the text is to utilize the best of modern medicine.  Follow the doctor's advice and take the appropriate medicine... which, to be fair, may include essential oils.  I'm keeping an open mind.  But first and foremost, I am going to pray, and I will ask you all to pray for me as well.  Thanks in advance.

I'll keep you updated.