Previously on Bitterkat I discussed finding my zen spot. Just after that post I lost it again. Of course.
May was both a disappointing AND amazing month so I hate to just skip it. I'll do a quick-ish recap (which of course means it will be long and drawn out because that's my style).
First, at the beginning of the month just when I was getting my running groove on I injured myself. I ran about 2 miles in a pair of Vibram five fingers and at the top of a hill both my Achilles exploded. Not really but they were in enough pain that I had to alternate running w/ walking 2 miles back home. Had I known how seriously they were injured I would simply have walked home or begged someone on the street to drive me home. I didn't ice them at all or do anything special but I was in a bit of pain. I figured I'd be good to go within a few days.
Pout, poor me. Injured and not running. Happens to a lot of people I'm sure.
But wait. Let's jump back a few days before that terrible run, shall we? Feeling all zen and inspired by trail runners in the hot desert I was eager to take advantage of my sister Tina's invitation to take a hiking trip to southern Utah. I booked a flight for Zoe and me to fly down there mid-May and I ordered a pair of Vibram KSO's. I started researching trail running in the desert and hiking in Vibrams or barefoot. I was very high on the idea of all the awesome things I might do once I got down there.
And then I hurt myself.
And even worse, a few days after the injury my ankles hurt worse than ever. I was so miserable I refrained from drinking my eleventy million bottles of water at work because I couldn't stand the thought of walking down the hall to the bathroom. About 5 days in I finally started icing and elevating. I was sucking down ibuprofin like it was candy, too. Nothing helped. All I could do was wait and hope that I was healed enough before the trip to Utah.
That didn't happen. I broke the news to my sister and she was awfully sweet about it but what a bummer. We still flew down and I pathetically limped around, photographing majestic scenery in Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon National Parks while Tina, her daughter Marissa, and Zoe hiked. By then, my right Achilles was almost back to normal but my left ankle was ginormous and I was incapable of flexing my foot. At one point, when the rest of the group went on a 1.5 hour hike in Bryce Canyon, I decided to sit on a bench and read but the wind started blowing hard so I slowly hobbled back to the car (only to be passed up by a group of tourists on donkeys who teased me that I should get a donkey of my own). In the car, I opened a beer, took photos of my feet and read a book. A fine way to spend my time at a gorgeous national park, huh?
I will say, it was an amazing trip despite my not being able to hike. I visited w/ my family in northern Utah before heading south which was a treat. I got to take my mom and Randy out for a belated Mother's day lunch at The Garden Restaurant in Salt Lake City (where Zoe experienced her first up close and personal look at those strange and odd creatures: mormons en masse) and visited The Cathedral of the Madeleine (after which Zoe said she liked that Mormon church a lot, not realizing it was a Catholic church). We followed up our day in SLC with a visit to my brother's shop and a family barbecue where I got to meet my newest nephew and Zoe got to hang out with her young nieces. Afterward, the road trip down to southern Utah w/ the 4 girls was the best time ever! We stayed in Kanab at the Quail Park Lodge, ate delicious food at Rocking V Cafe (and at Oscars Cafe in Springdale), visited the Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary, and spent a lot of time cracking each other up. We had so much fun that we're going to make it an annual trip! Thanks Tina & Marissa for a fabulous weekend!
Here's a sample of the photos I took. I haven't even uploaded all of them yet. *sigh*
[click to embiggen]
Of course, as soon as I returned back to Seattle my ankle started getting better. I saw a doctor and was basically told what everyone else told me. Don't run until it's better. And don't run barefoot!
Whatever to them on the barefoot running. After the swelling went down I was finally able to wear my Vibram KSOs and I love LOVE them. 25 days post injury and I was finally able to run again and have been running since!
Finally, the month of May ended with a bang! We attended Stacey & Wyatt's wedding at Alderbrook Resort on the Hood Canal. It was a wonderful wedding and weekend -- really unforgettable! The location, the people, the food, the dancing, the hikes, the hanging out with good friends...all good! Congratulations to two of my favorite people!
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I shouldn't leave out this important tidbit. Since I last wrote I met up with one of my favorite bloggers, Bossy! It was my first blogger event in the 6 years I've been blogging. I met super cool people and had a fun time*. Hopefully Bossy will swing back my way in a few years. I'll be there.
*scroll down Bossy's link above to see her fun photos of her visit to Seattle
