First of all, I just have to say how much I enjoyed the yoga at Grinnell Heritage Farm last night. What a beautiful location and such an awesome community. We practiced in a grassy area overlooking a pond...the sky was blue with puffy white clouds, just enough of a breeze to keep the bugs away, and we had an audience of goats! As we started, the four goats were standing in a row with their front hoofs on the fence just watching us, like they couldn't figure out what those silly humans were doing. Those goats may have been the cutest things I've ever seen. After yoga, Monica very graciously provided us all with a delicious dinner and then it was off to bed. It was a restless sleep for me....at 11PM I grabbed more ice for my feet and legs....at 2Am someone called me three times trying to deliver food? But we woke with the sun shining and birds singing!
I actually began today's run in much better spirits. The yoga from the night before, the beautiful community and that brilliant sun left me feeling much less overwhelmed by the day's miles. My legs felt okay comparatively, so I started running right away and cranked out about 6 miles. Then, you guessed it, the IT bands leveled me again....back to barely walking. Took more Advil, more ice and was back to running...and that's pretty much how the rest of the day went. Each step is painful, but every so often it become so painful I can't walk. So more ice and advil and I can go again! It one of my "weak" moments I called Tina, my dearest physician friend, who scheduled me an appointment with a physical therapist. Soon after my sweetest friend Nancy called to tell me that she was going to meet me tonight and give me a massage! All that good news helped me move from one mile to the next, eagerly anticipating this evening of pampering and a night in my own bed. I really couldn't get over just how beautiful this day was. The sky was so blue and I saw so many wild flowers today! I've seen so many parts of Iowa that I never would have seen otherwise. I should also add that Victoria joined me for about 8 or 9 miles today. She has been along on the trip since the start, documenting the entire trip. I think it was on day 2 that she mentioned that she wanted to train for a marathon! So she's started now, that's for sure.
I did have one crazy adventure today. After lunch, I was jogging down a remote gravel road in the middle of no where Iowa when all of a sudden I had a feeling that I was being watched. Then I heard a slight rustle in the bushes and glanced to my left. All of a sudden a mountain lion appeared! She walked right out in to the road in front of me. Now, many might find this startling, but after my years in the circus as an apprentice to a lion tamer I knew just what to do. I calmly spoke to her and practiced my "lion whispering" skills. Before you knew it, she was lying on her back and I was rubbing her belly. Soon I even convinced her to give me a ride down the road a bit to ease the pain of my IT bands! HAHAHA ...I just thought all this talk of IT bands was getting boring so I wanted to spice it up a bit :) I didn't really see a mountain lion and I never even worked in the circus. I did see some cows, horses, bunnies, and deer today though :) None of them gave me a ride, although I seriously consider hopping on every single one of the horses that I pass.
I ended up cutting my run short by about 2 miles today so that I could make the physical therapy appointment. Talk about another rock star....they just squeezed me in between other clients, ultra sounded my IT bands and then taped up my knee with awesome blue tape. I am looking cuter and cuter by the moment on this run. Giant toes, crazy tan lines, dirt all over me, and now bright blue tape all over my legs! But, I really think it is helping already. Tim, my physical therapist, said it should stay on for the next couple of days, but he offered to reapply it again if it helped and I needed it. What amazing generosity! Interestingly, the woman assisting my PT was one of my old microbiology students. I definitely got the idea that they both thought I was a little crazy...but anyone who knows me has known that for a while :)
now I am home to sleep in my own bed tonight, and I am eagerly anticipating my sweet Nancy's arrival... not only is she an amazing body worker and healer, but she has one of the biggest hearts in the world. Oh and I walked in to streamers, confetti and decorations everywhere...a sure sign that Alisa and crew have been here. I have the best friends in the world!!! I love you all so much!!
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