I'm not flying. I'm falling with style.

October 8 – October 14          Total Mileage: 32 Miles

I should have listened to myself.  “Take the weekend off, you are not feeling it, it’s supposed to be fun not work…”  By the time Sunday came around I just was not feeling it.  It felt like I was about to handle a chore that was on my to do list.  This partially may have been due to the fact that it was 16 miles and roughly 3 hours of running that was ahead of me.  I have read that this happens when you train for a long time and you just have to push through.  I grabbed my gear and set out for a run.  I should have stayed home.

I had a tough start getting going and was over a minute off my pace through 5k.  By the time I hit 10k I was over 4 minutes off.  I was burning through water pretty quickly even though it was 65-70 degrees outside.  I pounded an energy gel around mile 8 with no noticeable effect.  I was coming down the trail near Veterans’ Park when the unthinkable happened.  I caught a small defect in the concrete and went flying. 

It all happened in slow motion.  You have that moment when your brain lets you know that you are totally screwed and you better act fast.  I have no idea how, but I had the wherewithal to tuck and roll.  I hit right shoulder first and did what felt to be a somersault before coming to rest flat on my back.  I was able to get to my feet, and then my body started to go through the self check. 

Breathing…ok.  Labored but ok.

Concussion…nope.  I did not hit my head. (Don’t know how)

Shoulder…not separated.  No popping noise and I could lift it a good distance without screaming.

Hip…not broken

Knee and ankle…ok.  I still can flex them.

Toes…not broken.

I tried to continue but my pace slowed to a nearly walking pace of over 16 minutes per.  I thought about calling for a ride being that I still had 5 miles to go, but I am nothing if not stubborn.  I figured that I was 11 miles in and I was not going to waste it. I finished around three and a half hours, but I feel that if I can make it through that, not much should be able to stop me. 

Other than a torn shirt, some bruising to my shoulder and ribs it seems like I’ll be ok.  I did notice the return of shin pain on my right side (I had almost forgot what it was like to have it since it had disappeared for a few weeks).  Hopefully the shin pain will go away quickly.  This week is a taper week (the long run is only 12 miles…I still find it hard to say only 12 miles).