Injured :( Means one month off the road, and in the water

I have an epic post coming, the tale of a fabulous weekend with some wonderful friends and an amazing race. It's halfway written.

I'm posting this first though, because I want that post to be on top. I'm back on the DL. I can't run for a month.

My lower back has been pestering me lately. Not intense, serious, killer pain, but instead a lingering "maybe I should take care of this at some point" discomfort. I had tried two different chiropractors here, didn't like either of them (crack crack crack that'll be $20 goodbye), but with a half marathon Sunday I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to get adjusted. I ended up in a small family chiropractor's office, and the doctor spent more time with me than the other two combined, and after running several tests with that hammer they use to test reflexes and this scary pinwheel torture device, he concluded something was wrong with a disc in my fourth lumbar (medical term over my head).

He told me no running for a month. "But I have a half marathon Sunday." Negotiation ensued. I could run it if I agreed to see him the day after.

Despite this, I wasn't very happy, and wallowed in my own pity Friday night.

Saturday morning, Facebook presented a solution.

This New York Times column perfectly describes why I love swimming. In this smartphone ridden world, there's no chance to get away from screens, from people, from noise—except when you're under water. When I'm swimming I think about nothing except counting laps and my stroke, and I come up relaxed and clear headed.

But I haven't had any swim training since I took lessons at the Y more than a year ago. Since then I've practiced, slowly working my way up to the point where I did the Musselman 1.2 mile swim in less than 50 minutes. But I haven't had any more formal training, I figured I can get by, do the distance in a reasonable amount of time, so I'll focus on the other two sports.

On Facebook that morning, I saw an opportunity to join a master's swim program.

It starts Sunday, and it is four days a week through the month of March. The water will be good for healing my back, and a nice distraction from not being able to run.

Friday I'm going to go swim the 1.2 miles as a benchmark. We'll try it again at the beginning of April, to see how much faster I get! :)

The weather is finally warming up... and this is why I'm a little bummed about it

I know I'll get some backlash for this one.

I haven't been quiet about my hatred toward this winter.  Exhibit 1. Exhibit 2. It has been dark, depressing, terrible and COLD.

This weekend it'll be a tropical 40 degrees, with nature's free car wash pattering down from the sky just enough to save me $10 and melt some of the snow. Perfect running weather, and I'll be headed to Syracuse to meet Allison and Tara for the Lake Effect Half Marathon Sunday.

So why am I secretly just a little disappointed that it's warming up this weekend?

Because I like having a story to tell.

Less than 6 months from now I'll be cursing life as I run up and down the hills of Geneva in the Musselman half ironman, July 13. I'll recall how I survived last horrible winter as I'm sweating buckets, wearing a tank top and shorts and stopping in front of every kid with a squirt gun or, if I'm lucky, a garden hose.

As I tag back and forth with the other weary runners, starved for any conversation to help us through the miles, what would be the better story?

"Gee this winter was really horrible wasn't it." "Yea, I'd kill for some of that snow right now." "Hey did you do the Lake Effect half marathon?" "Yea, we really lucked out because it warmed up that one weekend. It was a little wet but not bad."

OR...

"Gee this winter was really horrible wasn't it." "Yea, I'd kill for some of that snow right now." "Hey did you do the Lake Effect half marathon?" "Yes!! Oh DEAR GAWD! One would think it would get warmer through the morning, how did the temperature drop from -2 to -4." "And yes! There was that freak blizzard that hit around mile 7. I couldn't see anything." "Oh and then those kids threw snowballs at us." "Dude, a polar bear chased me for like a mile, fortunately he got distracted by a penguin." "Remember how everyone's eyebrows were white and frozen?" "I totally PR'd because I wanted to be done."

OR just the basic reaction from non-runner folk.

"What did you do this weekend?" "I ran a half-marathon." "****puzzled, quizzical look**** ****sly grin**** "You're bats#$t crazy."

I always say I run for me. I do it because I enjoy it. I do it because it changed my life. I do it for that great feeling of accomplishment.

But I must confess, sometimes I also do it for the stories.

Several quick "WOO-HOOs"

I don't have time to tap out the many posts I've been plotting, but hate that my last post was SO negative, so I need to quickly counter that...

...The weather warmed up, went up to 40 degrees this weekend. Yea it snowed again but at least the bitter cold is GONE (for now)!
...In the nice weather I ran 10 miles and felt great, my first double digit run since Dirt Cheap!
...Two days later I swam a full mile for the first time in awhile!
...Tuesday I held a plank for 1:10!
...I've been lifting again, following the New Rules of Lifting for Women.
...I launched my first major project for Capital New York, a bill tracker, and we've been getting good feedback.
...I ate two oranges and a banana today, and made a delicious beef and broccoli dish. #freggies
...I'm making homemade granola this weekend. #yummmm