Heart Rate Healing

I've spent most of the year injured, after having spent months working up to an attempt to qualify for the 2014 Boston Marathon.

It's been mostly my quad injury leftover from the said attempt at the Salt Lake Marathon in April. However, I dealt with some IT Band issues after Ragnar Wasatch Back and then broke my toe right before Spudman. Unfortunately, I was still dealing with the remains of all these injuries going into training for Ragnar Colorado.

I knew I needed to do something. I was breaking. But, what to do? Short of complete rest (not an option -- and something I had already tried for a couple weeks), I wasn't sure how to better my situation.

Until I read this post by my new #highnuun teammate, Rebekah.

I am considering getting a coach [ahem, if any of you have recommendations I'd love to hear them] to help me qualify for Boston in 2014. But, for now, I was simply intrigued that her coach advised her to use her heart rate monitor.

I owned one. Still in the package. 

Why not give it a try?

I removed it from the plastic, strapped it on, and started running by heart rate zone, rather than pace [via pace wheel].

It made me slow down by 30 seconds per mile, at first. This was discouraging, but I stuck with it. AND, I am so glad I did... because, it's working... [Knock on wood]

I finally got back in the 7 minute per mile range, for my tempo peak miles, last night and I feel injury free.

I am so excited. 

Ragnar Colorado is going to be SO. MUCH. FUN!

Come What May

[Moulin Rouge]

I am only 2 days into #stayingonthewagon and life is presenting me with MORE excuses challenges.

Today...I now have a broken toe.

-- Begin Story -- 

I was leaving work. Chatting it up with my coworkers. Packing my laptop into my bag. Chatting it up with my coworkers. Forgetting to zip my bag. Chatting it up with my coworkers. Fling the bag on my back. Laptop comes flying out. Lands side up (the whole weight of the laptop) onto my [bleepin'] pinky toe. Laptop bounces off toe. Laptop lands on floor. Laptop is okay. Toe is not.

-- End of Story --

So yay for being ME.

[That was a sarcastic tone. If. You. Couldn't. Hear. It. Because, somedays I really HATE being ME. For example, today.]

[Sidenote: Can this qualify for worker's comp? LAUGHTER. Only joking.]

Anyway, I don't know what this means for #spudman. It makes me so upset to even think about. Especially after working through bricks of each distance. I was actually pretty ready to compete.

Please tell me a broken toe can heal in 3 days? If so, I am still planning on going. I've even considered just going for the swim. Pretty sure I was going to dominate the swim this year.

But, let's set that aside, I am still not letting this throw me off the healthy wagon. I am buckled in for the bumpy ride.

So I turned my evening run into an evening swim -- aka sport for the injured ;).. and mission #stayingonthewagon is still a go!

What is the worst injury you've raced with? Have you ever had to pull out of a race because of injury?

Help team #highnuun get to Ragnar Colorado!

Vote daily through August 9th!

http://gotchocolatemilk.com/team-refuel/high-noon