Not So Hip

I like to try to write my posts with a pretty positive tone. This post, however, not so much.

On Wednesday I headed out for my run in the pouring rain. I was actually kind of excited to have my first rainy run of the season. At about mile 6.5 of 8 miles I started to feel a weird pressure sensation in my lower left leg. It went away for about a minute or two and came back with about a mile to go and stayed. It was really uncomfortable and kind of intense. I have never felt a pressure like this. So I finished the run and decided to see how the next few days went.

The next morning I decided to switch my runs around and do my easy run first and tempo run second due to a much later than planned bed time. I ran an easy four miles and felt nothing. GREAT! It was just some freak pain. Then, I started my warm up for my tempo and had the same pressure feeling but this time in the right leg and accompanied by some sharp shooting pain. It stayed for a few steps then went away. GREAT! again. Things really plummeted when I started my tempo and got MAYBE 10 steps in and had searing pain in my lower leg. I was doing my tempo on the treadmill at work between clients (all the local tracks were locked). Out of instinct, I didn't land normally to avoid the crazy pains. This did not workout well on a treadmill and I pulled/strained/aggravated/did something to my right hip. It hurt the rest of the day and hurt about a 7 of 10 on Friday just to walk. I called Coach Dad and was told no run Friday and no run Saturday.  Not the words you want to hear on the weekend of your last 23 miler with only 3 weeks left until race day. So I did as ordered and did no run but swam 2000yds this morning to keep the cardio up and maintain my sanity.

Today (Saturday), I have been feeling more tightness than pain in the hip and am able to walk normal without/minimal pain. Certain movements still bother it more than others but overall I would say it's down to about a 2 or 3 of 10 on the pain scale. So tomorrow I will "attempt" my 23 miler but will proceed with caution!

WISH ME LUCK!

Holy Crags!

Yesterday Chris and I both ended up having the day off so we decided to go for a "little" hike. We decided since we have already done Barr Trail to the top of Pikes Peak, that we should do the Crags trail which is the backside of Pikes Peak. Good god were we in for a tough day! It is definitely one of the prettiest hikes that I have ever done, but also THE hardest.

Oh, hello 4200ft climb in only 6.7 miles! Now, I understand that 4200ft is quite a bit of elevation change. However, in my mind when I compared it to the 7000ft change from Barr Trail I thought that 4000ft would not be so bad. WRONG. There were certain sections that were so steep I felt like I could stick out my tongue and lick the dirt! Once we crested the first peak, it made it all worth it. SUCH an amazing view!

This was taken about half way up the first peak.

A little further up we sort of "lost the trail". ( I blame Chris for this one!) We ended up having to scramble up some very loose sand/gravel until we found the trail again. Minus the ample amount of gravel I kicked into my shoe, it was actually kind of fun! We debated scrambling up the rocky patch that the switchbacks went through but decided against it.

The sandy patch and where we debated taking a short cut!

The switchbacks.




The switchbacks were, in my opinion, the hardest part of the whole hike. (This was the dirt licking section I mentioned! haha) These pictures don't do it much justice but trust me, it was steep!

Once we got through the switchbacks the trail continued up but at a much lesser grade as we passed the Devil's Playground. Inviting, right!? It was actually a really awesome canyon that we both agreed we would like to hike (or run) one day. After we crossed the Pikes Peak Tollway, we again  found ourselves going straight up! My quads were absolutely screaaaaaaming at me! I silently rejoiced when Chris said he was starving and wanted to stop and eat.

Devil's Playground

Our lunch time view!

Past our fantastic lunch spot, the trail sort of ended and we had to look for and follow man made caims that marked the trail. To throw a little cherry onto the already hellacious cake, the final climb was a pile of boulders that covered the side of the peak. Although it was tough, it was pretty fun to finish the hike with some climbing!

Thanks, Nature!

Alas, we made it to the top! As tough as the trail was and how ready I was to be done, it's always a bummer when it's over. Well, I was done with the hike at the top because we had a minor detour that made the hike a little longer than expected and I had to get home to babysit. So as Chris hiked back to the truck, I got to ride the good ol' Cog Rail with the screaming babies, smokers and ill-prepared persons back down the mountain. It sort of ended up being a blessing in disguise because I had to follow the hike with a 22 mile run today!

It was a tough two days for the legs but I wouldn't take a single second of it back!

Some other pics from throughout the hike: