It seems like forever ago that I was 9 year-old kid sitting in an orthopedic office listening to the doctor tell me that I would most likely need a hip replacement by the time I was 40 years old. My grandpa had had at least one, if not both of his hips replaced at that point, so I kind of had a general idea of what a hip replacement was. I wasn't scared, I wasn't worried...I think being that young and having a family member who had had the same thing done, and who had recovered really well, left me without a sense of dread or fear. My parents, not even in their 40's themselves when this statement was made, were probably worried. I guess I don't really know.
My hip deformity had been discovered at my 6-month check up when I was just a wee little thing. The nurse noticed while playing with me that one of my legs wasn't moving quite right. So they investigated. Turns out I had a very shallow, almost non-existent hip socket on one side. Nothing to go too crazy over...I was just put in a little leather harness that basically kept me in a sitting position for a few weeks...maybe a few months...I have no idea...that time of my life is beyond my memory. What I do know is that once out of the harness, I was just like any other kid...tearing around, getting into stuff, teething, talking, growing...you know, all the stuff that normal babies do. In truth, my hip deformity has never really slowed me down. It's been such a non-issue for most of my life that when I asked my parents which hip had the deformity, they can't remember. Neither can I, even though I can clearly see in my mind the Xray of my spindly little legs lit up in the doctor's office all those years ago. I'm leaning towards it being my left hip. Then again, it could be my right. I've got a 50-50 chance of guessing correctly.
So I'll be 37 this year. 3 years to that daunting 40-year mark, and 3 years until that predicted hip replacement. For the most part, I still have little to no issues with my hips. Every now and again the left will "lock up," as I like to call it, but a simple stretch and turning my foot inwards usually takes care of that. I don't know that saying it's "locked up" is a correct description of what's actually going on in there, but given a lack of an in-home MRI, it's the best I can do. Day to day, my hips are fine. I do notice them aching and sore after a long run, but a lot of people have sore hips after a long run, especially if they train as little and as sporadically as I do. I don't know what degree of soreness is normal, and what might be attributed to my hip deformity. After a run, my hips ache equally.
I sometimes wonder if running is going to expedite the process of my impending hip replacement, or if it's going to happen regardless of what I do in my active life. The doctor made it sound like I was going to need surgery no matter what, but then again, there was no possible way that he could have known that the 9 year-old girl sitting in front of him would be running up mountains in her 30's. I know that running is hard on a person's joints, any person's joints...doesn't matter if they're fat, thin, fit, muscular...whatever. I think the overall key to running is to listen to your body...it'll tell you if something is amiss, if you need to take a break, if maybe a certain activity just isn't working for you. So that's what I've been doing...listening to these hips, these knees, and these lungs as increase my running along the trails in my pretty little mountain town.
The other day I summitted our local Mount Elden here in Flagstaff for the third time in 2 weeks. The first time I biked (see previous blog), the second time I ran/walked with Simon, and the third time I hiked the entire 12 miles with my friend, Meghan. Today I ran between 7 and 8 miles on the local trails here in town. I don't know what's happening to me in regards to this whole running business, but I really really like it. I'm impressed thus far with how well my body has been tolerating not only the distances, but the elevation gains as well.
In my last post I wrote about how I was spurned into riding my bike up Mount Elden by the owner of Pizzicletta. Well, since riding up the mountain on a bike proved to be an almost epic failure, Simon and I decided to run it last Sunday. It was the same dirt road that we had pushed our bikes up a few days prior, only this time we had only our feet as our limiting factors. It was amazing how much easier it was without the bikes (duh...hahaha!). We weren't able to run the full six miles without walking a bit, and that was expected. I didn't beat myself up about it, although I was a little disappointed that I didn't run more of it. Simon (my cheerleader), had to remind me that prior to taking on this 12-mile run with it's 2000+ vertical climb, I had only run about 3 miles without stopping. So...the fact that I was running at all, and that I was running this particular course, was pretty impressive. So I decided to be impressed with myself. In hiking the entire thing with my friend Meghan, I realized that I worked just as hard as I had running/walking it (although I was slightly less out of breath, which I appreciated), and it only took us about 15 minutes longer than the previous time on foot. So...either Meghan and I are super fast hikers (we're pretty bomb), or Simon and I just took that much time to run it. Or...maybe on that steep of a course, given equal abilities, it's just not all that possible for me to run much faster than a brisk hike.
I am not a fast runner. I am not a competitive runner. I am not a runner who cares about my time, and I don't allow the time of anyone else running along with me to get me down. Although, truth be told, I am impressed by some of the times of the winners of the big races. Those are performances that I could never hope to obtain, and with good reason. Those people run like it's their job. For a lot of them, it is their job. Day in and day out...running. I don't have the body, the stamina, the motivation, or most importantly, the genetics to run the way the professionals do. And that's okay. I'm happy with just getting out and doing something that I wouldn't otherwise do. So it takes me a little longer because I'm unwilling to push myself to the point of failure.
In taking on the challenge of meeting the Pizzicletta folks at the top of the mountain, I just started earlier than the rest of them. I gave myself not only time enough to get to the top by 8:30 in the morning, but to also have time for a stretch break near the top. I don't like to be pressed for time...it gives me anxiety and makes me feel like a failure. If I have to leave my house at 6:30 in the morning to meet them at the top 2 hours later, so be it. So what if most of them do it in an hour or less...they are athletically different than me, and good for them. They are comfortable pushing the limits of their athletic abilities, I am not. But...we all run/hike/bike the same path and get to the top at the same time, where we take a group photo, congratulate each other on a job well done, and head back on down the mountain to begin our days. We are together, but not the same. It's amazing, and it's been such a good motivation for me to increase my running goals.
In just over a couple weeks, Simon and I will be running the half-marathon portion of the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN. I'm stoked, and given the running that I've been doing in the past two weeks and my running goals for the coming weeks (hello, altitude training!), this could be my best half-marathon yet. Or not. It might not be my best, but I'm going to run it and I'm going to finish and hopefully I won't be last and hopefully I won't poop myself...it's good to have goals, am I right? After Grandma's I have the remainder of the Run Flagstaff Summer Series road races, which take place in and around Flagstaff...I'll be able to make it to 4 of the 6 total races. Then at the end of August I have a 10K at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon...the race itself is at over 8,000 feet of elevation, so that one will most likely be a struggle for me, but I'm excited for it. And then...the big one...I'm hoping to register for the Imogene Pass Run this year. 17 miles up and over the Imogene Pass between Ouray and Telluride, Colorado. Without a doubt, this would be the most challenging foot race to date for me, and quite possibly, the most challenging foot race that I'll ever attempt. But I'm going to do it. Assuming I get in, as registration usually sells out in under an hour. My alarm is already set for 4:45am this coming Wednesday...and then a celebratory run afterwards...hahaha! I've already got a crew of people willing to run it with me, which is awesome. It'll be tough, it'll be long, but it'll be amazing. After Imogene there will be a Beat the Blerch race in Vegas in October (still haven't decided on a distance...either the 10K or the half), and the Key West Half Marathon in January of 2017, which I'm also looking forward to...it'll be so pretty.
So there it is...I think I'll be running more this year than all my previous years. Which is funny, seeing as after the last half-marathon I did I made the comment that I need to stop running half marathons...hahaha! As of right now, there are no marathons in my future. People always tell me that I'm going to cave and sign up for a marathon, but I don't see that happening. The half-marathon distance, which is 13.1 miles, is perfect for me. I don't have to be as vigilant with the training, and I know for a fact that a full marathon would wreak havoc on my body in ways that the half-marathon never could. Given all the cool places that they have half-marathons throughout the world, I think I'll have enough races to keep me busy for the next few years. I just found out recently the US National Parks have their own set of half-marathons, which would be the perfect way for me to knock out some of the Parks in my quest to see them all. What better way to see our nation's prettiest places than to run through them? :)
As always, I'm looking for people to run with. Know that I do not run fast, and that I take little walk breaks to allow my lungs to recover a bit. Overall, and despite the walking, I'm told that I'm able to maintain about a 6 mile/hour pace (I don't keep track, remember?), which I'm more than happy with, but might be too slow for more serious, competitive types. If we cannot have a conversation while running, we are running entirely too fast...hahaha! So there's that.
I wish you all a fantastic Memorial Day weekend...remember all our friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and strangers on the street who have served in our military and have done what most us couldn't or wouldn't do. They deserve our utmost respect, on Memorial Day and everyday! Be safe out there!
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