First 5K With The New Ankle Brace and Rehabbed Ankle

Colin likes race selfies!

Today was the first day I took my rehabbing ankle and new brace for a 5K race run.  It was the furthest I've been since May's left ankle impingement.  The race started at 8:30 in the morning and in Southwest Georgia that means the starting temp was around 75 degrees.  That's a little hot for me to run in on account on the Hashimoto's and the increased swelling the heat brings on, but this time I managed to remember to take off my wedding ring prior to it cutting off my circulation after the first mile.  As the little boys were running this race with (read ahead) of mom, I made the two teens living at home get up to cheer us on!  The teens are also handy when it comes to holding things you don't like to run with like your car keys and the wedding ring you worry about losing while its in your running belt!

Unhappy ring/key holder teen!

The host for our morning festivities was Wild Side Running!  If your in Albany, Georgia this is THE RUNNING STORE!  Okay, its the only running store, but the owner Chris does a great job and has great gear at reasonable prices.  (I know because I'm a frequent visitor!)  Besides, anyone who knows to pick the softest poly blend tee shirts for a race and have cup cakes at the end knows how to host a race!  There was even a great dane dog who ran the race with us!  I do a lot of big races so it was nice to have a race director who not only said my name when he said good morning, but knew most of the 100 participants at the starting lane by first name.  The start was also an air horn instead of a gun shot which was probably a little nicer for the surrounding neighbors. Nothing like wondering if someone is starting a race, or if something is going on because you heard gunfire early on a Saturday morning!

Family Shot before running

Colin and Elijah went to the front of the start and I hung out in front of the walkers and the Couch to 5K people.  The course was fairly flat which was good for testing out the new ankle.  No worries if it didn't go well because my physical therapist and office staff were also there to run the race.  Did I mention how nice it is to run a race where people know your name and didn't have to look at your bib to find it out!  The one hill was in the first mile which gave me a chance to see what the brace and ankle would do on my nemesis terrain.  My first mile split was 13:37 which was a whole minute faster than I had been training this month and with the heat climbing I have to admit I was a little nauseous and soaked but, there's only one way to the finish so I kept going.  The little boys were out of sight for the first two miles.  I slowed it down for the second mile, hoping to recover my stomach. Did I mention that the kids ate all my cinnamon pop tarts and didn't tell me so I had to settle for a piece of toast?  No? Well at least I didn't throw up all over someone's lawn.  The route was for the most part shaded, but by 2.5 miles I was really starting to feel that 80 degree heat, but thank God there was a nice little breeze coming off the lake.  I was sad to leave that little cool area, but that was when I noticed two cute little boys walking about 50 meters ahead of me.

Before they wanted to kill each other

It was their first time running together as a pair and it went as well as expected.  I could hear Colin, the runner, telling Elijah, the kid who was running for a cupcake and a shirt, to stop whining they were almost done.  I waved at them, they waved back at me, and Colin took off, and Elijah shook his head. He did that race walk thing you do when you don't want your 40 year old mom to pass you, but you're really too tired to put much effort in it.  Pride won out because when I came 10 meters behind Elijah, he took off to catch up with Colin.  That was around 2.8 and when I rounded the turn at 3.0 miles, Josie decided she'd be cute and motivate me by running the last .1 to the finish line with me.  Zeke couldn't pass up hollering "kick!"  I finished upright and in 45:15ish.  Pretty good for my first race on the impinged ankle and the new heavy duty brace!  More importantly, there were no blisters, my left ankle didn't swell up to twice its normal size, I didn't throw up and I finished up right! Oh and I was only about 45 seconds behind those two cute little boys who had a water and a cupcake waiting!

Hot and a little worse for wear after our race!

Sewing and a Migraine to End Vacation

There's classical music playing, the hum of a sewing machine as old as I am in the back ground and the clicking of the keyboard.  That's what the last day of vacation looks like around here when your trying to get rid of a migraine before you go back to work and get things done.  When our AC went out last weekend, my husband found a pretty high end sewing machine in the attic, cicra 1970 something.  Thank God it had its instructional manual and with my daughter's new found enthusiasm for attempting to use it, we decided it would be a good mother daughter bonding project to make a quilt for the living room.  (It looks easy enough on Pinetrest, right?)

Someone's proud of herself!

I cut most of the pieces because after one yard of fabric, Josie realized that sewing could be a little tedious.  She likes to use the machine, which is fine with me because I think bending over it yesterday is what escalated my headache to an 8 (as well as the bologna sandwich and two days of homemade bread).  Its at a 5 this morning, which is somewhat manageable as long as I don't plan on doing anything too strenuous (like running, or cleaning, or moving fast).  Lucky for me I did my long run (2miles) for my half marathon training yesterday, because it surely would not get done today.

So the plan for the rest of today is to attempt to get rid of this headache, assist as needed with the quilt making and put away some laundry.  I'm sure there will be a couple naps and supper making in there, but really the day will be a success if I can stay upright with my head attached to my shoulders.  Anything else that gets done will be due to my wonderful family or a miracle!

Technology Takeaway

This is the face of an unhappy teenager when you take his electronics away and I mean all his electronics!  No cell phone, no television, no portable gaming system, nothing that plugs in or uses batteries.  You see, my children, like many children have lots of electronic things to occupy their time.  It keeps them quiet on long car rides and to be perfectly honest, it keeps them from fighting with each other.  Many times it is preferable to hear the beeping or clicking of keys then it is to hear "he's breathing on me!"

I remember summers outside, putting on plays and generally playing until our parents called us in at when the sun went down.  My children and their friends think summer is time to get on Facebook, or play video games with their friends (which nowadays does not require them to leave the comfort of their own couch). How can they have a great summer break if all they do is play on their electronics?  There is so much to see, and do and create, but not if the majority of your time is spent sleeping in and plugged in.

 I'm all for technology and all the wonderful things that it allows us to do (like this blog), but I think my kids have spent way to much time in their devices and not enough time outside or interacting with real live people.  So, being the awful parent that my children currently think I am, I have instituted electronic free days.  It has not been well received by the children.  On electronic free days my children are now forced to read paper books, go outside and make up creative ways to fill up their hours.  Just for fun, sometimes I call electronic free hours to force the kids to come up for air and participate in the world around them.  The younger kids seem to be dealing with this better than the older kids.  The older kids are much more attached to their electronic worlds and do not find mom's current experiment "fun."  I'm sure when the whining stops the kids will fondly look back on technology takeaway days, or they will have an effective punishment for their own kids!

The Super Saver Quest

While trolling the blogs, Pinetrest, and Facebook,  I began pondering how easy some people make a tidy, organized, money saving life seem. We've all seen the sites where a mother of ten kids gets her groceries for free and then shows you a hyper otganized, color coded pantry ready for world war 3. How does she do that? Yes I've watched super coupon shows. I get the premises,  but realistically I don't have the time, patience or gumption to go that gung ho into clipping coupons to save money.

On the other hand, I have been looking at the Gagnon family budget (in part because I want a new car and in part because I want to travel and the hubbs really does need a tractor) to see where all our money goes. The prices for food and gas are outrageous,  not to mention health care costs! All this money reflecting has motivated me to at least try looking like the other women I see on the Internet making it work in an organized,  fiscally sound manner. Besides, the money I save can fund my running addiction.

Today's mission was grocery shopping. A chore I dread in part because it's expensive and in part because I get pissed off when a women dressed in designer clothes, handbag and luxury vehicle whips out her ebt card to pay for her groceries. The lines at Wal mart irritate me too so, I've decided to start shopping at Publix.  Much better customer service, and thanks to an article I read this morning I have an app that doesn't require me to clip coupons, or slave over store flyers to find deals. I was even able to make my grocery list using the Publix app and it told me what aisle items were on. Money and time saver equals winning! I was able to save 95.00 and spent less than 300.00 on groceries for a family of six!

I still haven't managed that hyper organized pantry, but when Josie saw all the groceries she decided the pantry needed organization.  My daughter likes to organize anything but her room so, I guess I'm on my way my way to an organized, money saving life. At least until the rest of the family gets home!

Disability Soapbox

I've been away for a while traveling with students, contemplating starting a new educational blog and trying to rest as my TSH levels are all out of whack with my ankle. We are also in full volleyball swing so, I've been a little busy.  On our way home tonight Josie and I witnessed something at the grocery store that compelled me to jump on my soapbox!

"Get the manager here right now!  Right now I said!"

This statement came from an older gentleman (and I use that term very loosely) who was pissed off with something that happened to him at the check out line.  He was loud and making a scene when the manager did not come out immediately as requested.  He went on to DEMAND that a manger come out to see him as he has disabilities and "that smart ass right there asked me to move my car!"  The man went on to explain to the entire front of the store that he was a veteran (too bad they didn't teach him respect or social skills), he has diabetes (blood sugar must be low causing him to rant and rave), and he has had vein reconstruction (probably the reason why he needed to park in the fire lane and block traffic).  Oh he also had his mother in the car and his wife, who I'm sure would of been impressed with his vocal protest of his mistreatment. 

The man went on demanding that the manger speak to the offending "smart ass punk" immediately where he could make sure that the employee was disciplined correctly.  That "smart ass punk" asked the man to move his car, parked in the fire lane, blocking traffic, that had no handicap tag when he finished carrying out the man's groceries to his car.  The car was a Lexus SUV by the way and his wife was in the car when we walked by with the bag boy that dared do his job.  That was the offense that required two managers.

Now, I'm all for letting people know that there are problems with their businesses. You can't fix what you don't know about.  I'm also for advocating for people with disabilities.  What I'm not okay with is someone making out that their disability is an excuse to act like an ass!  All the high school kid did was ask the guy to move his car from blocking traffic.  He even loaded the guy's groceries in the back of his car while he called the kid a smart ass.  Even if you're disabled you don't get to block traffic or park in a fire lane.  Those of us with invisible disabilities struggle enough without someone causing a scene because they are offended being asked to follow the law.  Most of the people I know, and work with, who have disabilities don't ask for special treatment or try to draw attention to themselves because of their disabilities.  Most people with disabilities fight to be treated like people without disabilities. 

You can imagine the ranting man's surprise when I walked by and said "Your disability does not give you an excuse to act like a dumb ass!  Get a handicapped tag!  Son, please help me with my bag!"  That at least gave the manager some time to escort the man towards the door and the poor kid who did his job a chance to escape.

I'll get off my soapbox now!

Forced Hiatus From Running

My bad ankle!

At some point in every runner's life they are forced to take a hiatus from running.  Life is too busy, company arrives unexpectedly, you get the flu, or like me, you get an injury.  I am currently on a forced hiatus from the running I love.  My ankle apparently doesn't care that I have plans to complete four more half marathons this year, or run a couple 5k's this summer.  My ankle doesn't care that summer time is the most time I have all year to train and get in real shape to run these races in the fall.  All my ankle currently cares about is getting un impinged, not wearing heels and actually getting back to it's ankle shape instead of the tennis ball shape its been looking like.  I'm sure that tennis balls are a lovely shape, but apparently my ankle does not appreciate being swollen three inches so, I had to take it to the ortho who, after a very painful injection into the joint determined the best course of action was a brace, rest, and some physical therapy.  NO RUNNING until I'm cleared by the physical therapist.

This is not my first forced hiatus from running. I'm also not good at icing and resting.  I haven't been to physical therapy since high school and to say I hated it well, that would be a GROSS understatement.  My experience with physical therapy was painful.  When you look forward to the ice bath at the end of the session, it's a very painful experience.  The ice bath was the least painful experience of the three months of physical therapy so, I was not looking forward to going back for another round. I get impatient, fat and cranky when I don't get to run so not going is not an option my family is going to let me take.

Today was my first session.  I point blank asked if I could run today. The answer was of course NO.  The therapist was very nice and measured my ankles.  The swelling is down to only 1/2 inch.  Good to go I thought, but the therapist watched me walk and stand on one foot, the bad one.  Now, I'm not the most graceful person in the world.  I've even been know to trip over flat surfaces, as well as my own feet, but I hoped once she saw me walk we could move onto a light jog.  No such luck.  Apparently, I've been walking wrong for a long time.  I should propel from the back and balls of my feet.  I turn out and fall heavy, with no propulsion.  It's truly amazing I get anywhere with the way I walk.  I also don't distribute my weight evenly, which is true since the weight gain from not running seems to be going straight to me stomach and butt! That's not what she meant of course so, I spent 15 minutes learning how to walk correctly.  Then I was tested with my balance.  Fun times as balance is not a strong skill either. Standing on one foot is always a little problematic and all I can say is that she at least let me stand in a door frame.  So, when I fell over I'd have something to hit...the door frame all ten times!

The verdict only took about 30 minutes.  No running until I learn to walk correctly.  I have been assigned a half mile walking working up to a mile of walking correctly for the next two weeks before I go back.  I did get a cool gel ice pack to use after these walks. It's a good thing I'll be traveling with National History Day students to DC to take my mind off this forced hiatus from running.  Please pray for patience and pleasant attitudes during this time for me and those around me.  Remember if you see me, I'm having running withdrawals
so be kind!

On My Shirt Tales

First Game! New Team!

The colors may have changed from blue and gold to red, white and blue, but the coaching has not.  Last night was my first night coaching my new team in their first game.  The gym was not unlike the previous gym I coached in- UN-airconditioned.  Unlike my previous team, the girls on my new team have not played volleyball before.  They were volleyball virgins and the teams we played last night had definitely been around the block a few times.  Despite the slaughter that ensued, my new team had a good time and learned a lot about volleyball.  The team enjoyed the hair ribbons and getting ice cream for meeting our goals.  It was the first time that my daughter was also one of my players and other than having to remind myself that she was a Freshman, things went well.

Anyone that has played for me knows that at some point I'll get frustrated with players letting balls fall to the ground.  I particularly get frustrated when balls fall on the ground because girls don't move their feet.  I can only assume that the girls do not know what to do so, I have to show them.  Now, I'm not as young as I use to be, and I currently have an ankle impingement that requires a brace, rest and ice, but the coach in me could not let balls keep hitting the ground due to ignorance.  What's a coach to do?  Well, if its me then some poor girl will be told to grab my shirt tales and move with me.  Last night the girls learned quick that this old lady might be injured and not as quick as she use to be, but she can still move.

They giggled and laughed.  I dragged a few behind me and my daughter just rolled her eyes.  She's seen this done before, usually with a lot of yelling.  She proceeded to warn my shirt tale girls that they better move because I wasn't playing.  I know that it will be a different season than the years of the past.  I'm starting a program from scratch with only one girl that has ever played....my daughter who is the youngest person on the team!  One thing is for sure, there will be more nights of girls trying to keep up holding onto my shirt tales!