Sunday, July 25, 2010

Because I believe...

...that every long run deserves a blog entry.

(This is Kristin by the way.)

I am way behind in my blogging here.  Yay for the new Blogger changes- especially the return of spell check!  Woot.  If I have not visited your blog lately, I am catching up on that too.  Don't worry, I have not abandoned you, by bloggy friends. 

Let me start catch up with my most recent long run.  I 15-miler with Danna.  I only made it through like 14.  Rough at the end- I even got light headed.

Danna and I have been a little lazy with our running lately- especially at Girls' Camp.  I was especially out of shape and gaining some nice new fat deposits is seems.  Well, this 15 miler started around 6 and was hot and muggy!!  We went through a ton of water and Gatorade (both for drinking, and pouring on ourselves.  I even accidentally poured Gatorade all over myself at the very end). 

We ran into Larry Payne around mile 9 and he joined us for the final few miles.  At first I refused him.  "No way Larry- I'm pooped.  I can not run at your pace today."  Well, he insisted and went at our pace, and was great entertainment, and a helpful distraction for the rest of the run!  He even did the final mile+ with Danna when I got light headed and stopped. 

After the run, I iced at my house in the way I always do.  Sticking my feet right on the ice packs.  I know they always say not to do this, but have you ever put a towel (even a paper one) on your ice and still had the cold get through adequately?  I have never had a problem just icing directly.  Until now.

So, I'm embarrassed to say- I got a cold injury.  Does it classify as frost bite?  Not sure, but I got it bilaterally on my heels and a couple toes.  It was totally scary and freaked me out.  Then it got super painful- just like a bur, and I couldn't walk on it for a few days.  Who else does this happen to?  No one!  I have never heard of a cold injury among my real life acquaintances, friends, or family.  Unless it was a legitimate winter-time thing.

I made D come over and assess my injury (she's a nurse) and it had a freaky discoloration and blisterage.  After a few days the crazy pain quit- thank heavens!!!  And now I am walking normal again. 

Oh dear.  Please be careful icers.  I have learned that chemical cold packs get colder than regular ice, and if you insist on direct contact, just use ice in a Ziploc.  This advice came from the guys at the wound clinic.  Also, a foot in a bucket of ice water is perfect! 

I still believe in icing.  It makes a big difference. But I also believe in non-amputation.

Love, K
XOXO

11 comments:

KC (my 140 point 6 mile journey) said...

Sounds like you did a little nerve damage to your feet from the ice. Yeah, an amputation is not an option, so put some protection around that ice! That's a public service announcement for the safe-ice council. Seriously, great job getting in 14, almost 15 miles. I just did 14 on Friday (here in Florida) and it is HOT and HUMID. But I survived!

misszippy said...

I've had a bit of icing damage before too and it freaked me out. Yours sounded pretty bad though! Glad it cleared up.

ihaverun said...

Crazy about the icing injury! Great job getting out there though!!

Heather T. said...

Three cheers for non-amputation!
Hip hip...hooray!
Hip hip...hooray!
Hip hip...hooray!

Mikelle said...

Oh wow that is kinda freaky! I am impressed that you can even stand icing that much! Icing is difficult for me as it is!

kdance said...

Frost bite? Scary! That's freaky. Be caaaaaaare-ffff-llllll! I'm excited for our half in a month. You? How are we going to run at Powell???

Robyn @ wannabewriterrunner said...

Eesh, glad I know to be careful now that I've been icing so much. Scary for sure, but glad you're back to normal.

Robyn @ wannabewriterrunner said...

Eesh, glad I know to be careful now that I've been icing so much. Scary for sure, but glad you're back to normal.

Jeannette said...

Frost bite, thats pretty scary. Glad the pain went away. Has Suzy had her baby yet? When is she due?

Jeannette said...

Hey Kristin, I thought you might get a kick out of this - the "word verification" that I have to type in order to publish my comment is, get this, "pesses". Get it? Google knows me, they really know me. He he.

dAd said...

This only confirms the wisdom of my personal strategy: To avoid running so much or so hard that I need icing... :)