Ouch!

Last time I blogged, I described my magical half marathon experience. For me, running is no longer something I work to get through. Now, it's one of my states of being that allows me to two of my favorite things - expend excess energy and spend time with friends. Since my friend Kristin is my #1 running bud, it means I spend a great deal of time with her. She seems to be as happy with this as I am, so when I asked her to do a 12 mile trail race with me the weekend after San Antonio, she was all for it. "If I don't run with you, I won't run." Enough said.

Our 12 mile trail race took place near Buescher State Park at a piece of land called Rock Ranch. It was chilly when we left Austin, so we bundled up accordingly and made out way out. With dogs, boyfriends and another runner attempting her first twelve mile run, we arrived at the ranch to find it roughly 10 degrees colder than expected. I won't bore you with all the details of the run, but pine needle-cushioned trails and somewhat technical trails through dense woods kept me 100% entertained the entire time. We were hoping to finish in less than 3 hours, so we picked up the pace toward the end despite Kristin's aggravated IT band.

Finally, after what seemed to be a ridiculously long final two miles, the finish line was in sight. One of the things that helps me run is encouraging someone else. With her injury, Kristin was in pain and exhausted, so I repeated words of encouragement as we neared the end. About 50 yards from the end, the trail split and we were forced to choose between a rickety wooden bridge and mounds of freshly turned earth. Opting for the level planks of the bridge, I began crossing, calling out hazards to Kristin. As I reached the end, my toe sank into a rotten plank and I hit the ground. Hard.

Shocked by the fall and my proximity to the finish line, jumped up and sprinted (as best I could after 12 miles) to finish in about 2:54. Success! Oh, but wait, something didn't feel right...

When I fell, I hyperextended my foot. Think sprained ankle but on the top instead of the side. Post-race beers helped temporarily, but the next week was spent limping and bellyaching about my misfortune. All was well by the next Sunday when in my infinite grace I managed to ALMOST break my toe. It still hurts, but I'm still running!

Oh, the things we do for love of running...