#TBT to running while on vacation

I have been lucky enough to travel a fair amount which means I have been lucky enough to run in some great locations. Early last year I had never run in any race, not even a 5k. Running a half marathon was on my bucket list, but I was not sure if I could handle that distance. I mean 13 miles seemed soooo far. The most I had run was 7 miles years ago. To ease into it, my friend and I decided that we should sign up for a 10k. I was running 10 to 15 miles a week at that point, but all on a treadmill. I had not run outside in quite some time and was worried about how my asthma would react to colder temperatures. A couple of weeks before the 10k while vacationing in California, I tried a couple of very short outdoor runs (about 1 - 2 miles) to prepare for the 10k (no, I didn't really train for the 10k, training was a new concept for me). I was hooked! It combined my two loves- running and traveling. Yes, I realize I was hit by a car while running on vacation, but it allows me to see different parts of the town, city, or country that I am in.

Side note: When I run away from home, I let my husband know where I am going and about when I will be back. I also take my phone with me even if I'm overseas (wifi still works). If I do not get service, I download onto my phone my route and surrounding areas using google maps. 

California:

First outdoor run in years. Down the Ventura Pier. Unfortunately never took a picture of my Napa Valley run.

Martha's Vineyard:

Beautiful 8 mile run in Martha's Vineyard along the coast.

Had water and sand on both sides of me.

Bermuda:

Railway trail- great trail going most of the length of Bermuda. Started my run on this trail before cutting over to the ocean. 

Ran at 6 am in 79 degree, very humid weather, but was rewarded with this spectacular sunrise.

Ran past my rental so I could get to 4 miles. Was able to see Horseshoe Bay before the beach was packed with tourists. 

Spain:

Seville had a great bike path along the river.

Ronda was built on top of a gorge. Decided to run down the walking path to the bottom and back. Definitely counted as a hill day!

Bottom of the gorge, besides a farm.

Cancun:

I ran two runs in Cancun. The first was a 5 mile run along the southern end of the hotel zone. There was a beautiful beach park that was visited by locals.

I took this about 3/4 of a mile before my run abruptly... There is a nice running path that goes along the resorts of the hotel zone. Literally right after this path ends and it is just the sidewalk right up against the road is where I was hit by the car.

Next up: hopefully I will be cleared to run in Hawaii :)

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

Blog posts are slightly irregular since there is not much to report while I am still healing. I’m at 4 ½ weeks into the 6 to 8 weeks. PT has been really helping. Yesterday while laying down I was able to move my leg to the right and back. It was a huge accomplishment since previously I could barely move it to the side without any pain. My muscles definitely feel sore from being used. My foot is still sensitive. I rarely if ever put a shoe on. It still looks a couple of shades darker than my good side.

(sorry, not the most attractive feet!)

It is a weird feeling but I can tell the bones are getting better. Coughing does not hurt (although I can still feel it in my hip). My pelvic bone doesn’t have any pain when getting up and down. It does not hurt as much to flip onto my stomach to sleep. I still feel like I’m sitting on something so there are definitely a couple of weeks to go. It just gives me some hope that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I was able to go back to work for a couple of hours. It felt great to get out of the house and get some sense of normalcy. Unfortunately working a full 10 hours a day does not seem possible yet. My back muscles get sore after a few hours. I wish I knew how long that phase would last…

With everything going on I hope to do the DUI Victims Memorial 10k in May. I feel after my experience it is important to do.  I highly suggest doing a run for charity. It is a different kind of motivation.

find more info at http://padui.org/

Counting down the days until I get back to running!

And now starting from the beginning...

Everything in my life changed in an instant. One minute I was training for the Glass Slipper Challenge and the next minute I was on the ground in extreme pain.

The Glass Slipper Challenge is a runDisney race which consists of the Enchanted 10k on the Saturday and the Disney Princess Half Marathon on the Sunday. This race was my first back-to-back race and my first I had to travel for. I was excited to get out of the bitter cold that had been hanging around all winter. I much rather run in the cold than the heat, but this was a particularly rough winter. Immediately after the Glass Slipper Challenge, I would have to start training for my three races in April. While I had run most of my life, I had just started racing the year before with the Hershey 10k as my first race. 

On January 31st, my friends and I traveled down to Cancun for a mini vacation. This was the end of week 7 out of 10 of my Glass Slipper Challenge training. I would have to complete a 5 mile and 10 mile run. My 5 mile run was later in the morning when the temperatures were in the 80s. The miserable heat convinced me to wake up early the next day and start my run right at sunrise. At 5:15 am, I woke up and started my pre-run routine. Shortly after 6 am I started running up the hotel zone of Cancun. Further up the hotel zone there is a walking path maybe 10 feet off of the road. I stuck to that path and hit the end of the hotel zone then turned around. The walking path had just ended right before the Grand Park Royal so I went back to the sidewalk, running against the traffic. At 7:10 and about 5.73 into my run I heard a loud noise and turn around. I saw a car sliding towards me. There simply wasn't enough time to get out of the way. The car hit me and I felt pain I could never explain.

(my ride back to the resort after being at the police station)

Pelvis fractured in three places, contusion on my lower back, what felt like bruised ribs, minor whiplash, my entire leg was swollen and tingling, all of my muscles felt tight and sore. I learned at the hospital a drunk driver crossed the median, two lanes of traffic, hopped the curb, and had hit me.

I started this blog to chronicle my recovery back to running. I no longer think of trying for a PR or working on building on my distance for my ultimate goal of a running a marathon. Right now I am trying to mend my hip to get back out on the road. I want to come back stronger than ever and am determined to do so.