Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Rest Week

I'm reluctantly taking a rest week. I haven't run since the relay on Saturday and I think my calf/ankle/achilles is improving. This injury is so strange - it's like a travelling cramp. It moves from right above my inside ankle, straight up from there and around the back of the calf, or to the achilles. When I get up in the morning, or from a long stretch of sitting, it seizes. I can walk it off, and sometimes it'll be perfectly fine. Very strange. I found some exercises I'm trying out - they seem to be helping. I'm off to the chiropractor again today - she wouldn't do anything with it last week because it was so badly bruised from the week before. I hope she's gentle today! My body is urging me to run tomorrow, but my brain is telling me to hold off. I have one last marathon to run on Sunday (which I'm pretty sure will start the whole cycle again), then I can rest it during our vacation.

Yep, it's almost time for WS100 - the big adventure of the summer. I'm getting anxious and I'm not even the one running it! Eric is in great shape - I think he's going to have a fabulous race. I just hope his crew chief holds up...

In other news - the prom and the chaperoning went great. They walked in the door a few minutes before 1:00 am. Eric got up and they showed pictures and talked about the evening. We were all in bed by 1:30. I made them get up at 8:45 so I could go to coffee - not really a problem because she needed to get home and feed her horses.

And finally - yesterday, for the first time in 20 years, I had housecleaners come in! Yay! I am so tired of cleaning house - it's been my job since Web was born and I shifted to part time work. I am ready for a break! We had housecleaners for about a year before he was born - when we both worked full time. All three of us have been working on it since last fall when I started this job, but it just wasn't happening. It was such a pleasure to walk into a clean house when I came home last night. A double pleasure considering I'm hosting a work meeting here tomorrow. Now if we could just get the dog and cat to stop shedding...

Signing off from the PNW, where the skies are gray, the houses are clean, and the runners are feeling antsy.

Update: I've always bruised easily, and since I started a daily aspirin for my heart a few years ago, it's gotten worse. The chiropractor today said it is taking 4-5 times longer than average to heal the strain and the bruising because of the daily aspirin - there is still faint bruising from two weeks ago, and today's session gave me a new set. She asked me to check in with the cardiologist and see if I could go off the aspirin for a week. The answer was yes, so I'm hopeful that things will heal a bit quicker now.

19 comments:

Wes said...

I have that same "kind of" problem. My right calf just seizes on me, especially at night. Stinks for me, but I've managed to grind my way through it.

Yay for the WS100! I'm gettin excited too!!! House cleaners rock. Dee Dee and I need some so badly.

wendy said...

Yay, Michelle! Good for you - I used to joke having a housekeeper saved my marriage, when Beau and I both worked in Seattle, long hours, and long commute!

I hope all goes well with the chiropractor today, and are you still planning on 7/1's on Sunday?

Your crew abilities will be more than adequate, I'm sure. What an exciting time for both of you!

E-Speed said...

ooh housekeepers, I wish I could afford those!

Unknown said...

I hope the rest week helps your race on Sunday. It is a great marathon and I wish I could find a way to run it, but I'll have to settle for Lake Youngs and no double this time. I can't afford it. Maybe I'll see you one of these days.

Journey to a Centum said...

Rest up for this weekend. Then you will have a nice break in the action! You can sit around a watch me twitch during my taper.

Jenny, Maniac #401 said...

Michelle- Heather showed me some prom pictures today. They were very good. They looked like they were in Hawaii. Glad the doc said you could go off aspirin to help with the bruising. Hope it helps. I am totally jealous of the housekeeper. See you Thursday.
Jenny

Darrell said...

After the year you've been having, I can hardly believe you are really taking a week to rest. You deserve it.

Is the sore foot thing contagious? It sure seems to be going around.

Scott McMurtrey said...

get some rest. now that i think about it, i should get some rest too. i've gotten so tired just reading about all the running you've done lately.

hope the aspirin change will do the trick.

Anonymous said...

Hope the injury gets better. We had family in for our youngest's graduation last week. Lots of carpet shampooing and floor mopping. Wish we'd had someone in to do some of the chores.

Jack said...

I hope you heal quickly, enjoy your rest week. I can't wait to hear about Eric and your experience with WS - he seems so ready, I'll pray the crew chief holds up!

JustRun said...

Geez, blog mom, I'm glad to hear you're taking care of yourself. Don't make me lecture you. :)

I'm really looking forward to hearing about Western States!

psbowe said...

I'm seriously considering hiring a housecleaner...so I can spend more time outside; running and gardening.

That's a real bummer about your nagging injury, hope it recovers quick.

Anonymous said...

Rest, rest, rest, (maybe walk a little) and then run this weekend. As Eric says, "The hay is in the horse" or something like that. ;-)

Joe said...

Good for you taking a week off, Michelle. Won't affect your fitness at all and probably very wise.

Interesting on the aspirin/day. I've been taking one for years now, though have not had a bruising issue.

Enjoy the rest around the clean house!!!!

tryathlete said...

I hope the injury heals up soon. Not running may seem boring but maybe you'll follow up on some new areas of interest?

Olga said...

Rest should help, and you seem to be following doctor's orders well, better than I ever did:)
For Eric I hope you kick him out of AS in less than 2 min and will not allow him to sit down. Other than that, you guys will be great! It's a lot of fun, and I am purely jealous!

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about the injury. Hope the Chiro is able to give you some relief.

We need a housekeeper BAD! LOL. Enjoy!

Beanie said...

here's to help in the home! our baby's nanny has just started cooking for us too, and OMG - it is SO fantastic! it really takes a load off!

Ryan said...

What a great team relay race report...congratulations...I'm happy to hear your handling the heat well! Enjoy the rest time and heal-up quick!