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Whoa!

My head is spinning but I had to pause to show you who I saw today. The picture is blurry, but that's okay.
I was walking through the expo and caught a glimpse of Ryan Hall and then he walked over to Josh Cox. With sweaty arm pits I interrupted them and asked for a picture.

Dealin' With It

I don't know why. I just do, ok?! I haven't always, but I just do now. 

What am I talking about? PINK. That terrible, awful color. And why am I talking about it? Because my shoe's this season only come in pink. ....iiiccck


When I called about my specially ordered Saucony Guide's SIZE: 10.5 - NARROW (aka: HUGE mammoth , yet thin sized), the shoe store owner warned me that they were pink. He knew my strong distaste for the color too. Seeing as it was April 1st, I held out hope all day that it was a joke. Alas, it wasn't and I now have my very first pair of pink shoes. So, yeah, I'm dealin' with it!

Blue's more my thing, if you hadn't noticed

My new shoes

So, that's my "spoiled, cushy, does what ever I please, has nothing to really whine about" problem of the week.
 In that same vain, Here's the link to a nice article from a local magazine SPLURGE! They wrote about my said cushy life. Oh and the author included some really nice stuff about my family.
http://www.splurgemag.com/category.php?id=82&cat=Live

April's Splurge!

So, that's a small tidbit into the running drama going on this month. Oh, and that I'm leaving for Boston this week. I'm bib # 8007 and can be tracked along the race.

http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/participant-information/att-athlete-alert.aspx

All the info's at the link.

Here's to hoping I'm all smiles (not just faked ones for the camera) as I cross the line on Monday. Even if I'm in pink shoes.

2010,  3:29 Finish

Me faking it. Really thinking "Is this real life?"

Better Late Than Never!

Wow-za! It's been so busy around here!
I woke up remembering that I forgot to draw the winners for this great book.
So, as the early morning trash trucks are rumbling down the street I'm up in the dark selecting the random winners.
I'm happy to announce that Jason N., Hannah, and Matt B. are the lucky winners of the great book,

Don't Let Me Go, by David W. Pierce (What My Daughter Taught Me About the Journey Every Parent Must Make)

contact me: lacyjhansen at gmail dot com and I'll get your book to you ASAP, promise!

In the meantime, here's a really short video as we actually got to the finish line. You can hear my breathing and see just how slow we're moving. You can also see that I'm just walking in my Dad's footsteps. It's a precious memory for me. 





I'll also let you read our second attempt up the Peak. It was only one year later and it was ugly! 2008's Ascent ended up being called off during the race due to a monstrous blizzard above tree line. We received that news about 10 miles up the trail. The only way off that trail was to turn around and go back down. Our 1/2 Marathon ended up being a 20 mile mountain hike in the freezing rain. Still a priceless memory, just not as found.

http://blog.lacyjhansen.com/2008/08/pikes-peak-descent-2008.html

2008 Pike Peak Ascent- or Descent as it were!

Climbing Mountains

Yesterday registration for The Pikes Peak Ascent and the Pikes Peak Marathon opened up. I saw so many out there on the interwebs mention they signed up. I, however, did not. Not yet, at least. This race is so special to me though. I was lucky enough to complete the race to the top of Pikes Peak with my Dad. We completed the Ascent in 2007.
We didn't know what we were doing, we were slow, and we were deliriously happy when it was all over.

The Ascent proved to be a trek up a literal and metaphorical mountain for me and my Dad. It's a treasured memory I will store in my heart for the rest of my life. I mean, how many of you have climbed a mountain with your Dad?

Finished! Smiling at 14,000+ Feet

The complete, heart felt account is found at this link. Warning: it still makes me cry after all these years.

http://blog.lacyjhansen.com/2007/08/we-peaked.html

It's all worth it once you're at the top!

As I listened to some great runner's chat while we ran this winter, we got in to a conversation about a book they'd all been reading. The book is titled Don't Let Me Go, by David W. Pierce (What My Daughter Taught Me About the Journey Every Parent Must Make). My friends kept talking about how the story made them want to climb mountains and run races with their daughters, as the book accounts the adventures of a father and daughter as they climb mountains and, you guessed it, run races together. The more I listened the more I knew I had to get my hands on this book.
I did just that. I was immediately surprised at the first two pictures I saw as I thumbed through it in the book store. They looked just like the pictures my Dad and I had taken as we journeyed up Pikes Peak.
I gave the book to my Dad for Christmas and we both have really enjoyed comparing our climb verses theirs.

I was so impressed with just the first two chapters, I emailed the author and let him know about me and my Dad. David Pierce has been such a great guy. He got back with me right away after he read my blog post. We've shared kind words and encouragements back and forth over the last month.
It feels like we're in the same club. We've both been changed by our "mountain climbs" and our "marathons." We both know what an unbreakable bond a father and daughter can form once they endure these things together.
If you haven't climbed a mountain with your dad, I highly recommend it. Pikes Peak registration is open you know. :)
Also, if you haven't read David's book. I highly recommend that as well.
He was nice enough to send me 3 copies to give away.

I'll hold a random drawing in one week. To be entered in the drawing leave a comment. Let me know about what you thought of my story of our Pikes Peak Ascent. Let me know if you've experienced something similar with your Dad. Let me know what your hopeful plans are for you and your Dad. There's no wrong answer here.
I'm so excited for a few of you to get your hands on this book.

Here's a video of all the images from our 2007 Pikes Peak Ascent

Long Story Short

So, here's the short story of what's been happening.
January 22, I join the GoRun Runners and headed out to Kingman County for "one hill of a run." 20 insane miles on the relentless hills of Kingman. As one friend said, "those hills were demoralizing!"

That's a big deal for Kansas, ok?

 They were, but it felt good to get that awesome workout in so early in the training season.

A PRE shot before the Kingman Hills

I ran my normal miles the rest of the week. I felt tight in my left calf specifically but chalked it up to the hill run. I stretched more and just dealt with it.
Wednesday, January 26, was my typical morning 10 miler with some speed work. I even got creative and "Stitched" my neighborhood.

My "Stitch" Run

I had to stop twice on this run to stretch out my calf. Again, I just thought the pain was tightness and assumed some more localized attention would do the trick.
That evening I ran once more with the GoRun evening group. I complained that the "tightness" was really bugging me. After the run I stuck around for a great clinic about running drills. I had a great time ignoring the screaming pain and learning to do high knee and skipping drills.

The GoRun Running Clinic

I cycled on the non-running days and kinda forgot about the pain.
I even had a DEXA Scan done at my doctor's office. It revealed some lower bone density levels that we're slightly concerning for a runner, especially a female runner. All the time I was at the docs it never occurred to me to mention the pain in my calf. I just assumed it was a fluke and I went on with my scan. (It also gave an accurate reading of my body fat percentage. But you don't care about that do you?)

My Bones and Tissue

However, by the halfway point of my 18 miler on January 29, I knew something more than tightness was brewing in my left calf. I feared the worse. The runner's kryptonite: A STRESS FRACTURE.

I contacted my PT, Mr. Karl Glick. he told me not to run and come see him Monday, January 31.
I should have taken a wooden spoon to bite down on with me to that appointment. Once he confirmed it wasn't a stress fracture (phew!) he proceeded to try and kill me.
While it wasn't a stress fracture it was a nasty tear in my calf. He immediately hooked me up to an ultrasound machine and treated the "knot." Then he used his hands to "workout the knot." OH. MY.
I can't think of anything more painful in my entire life. Not childbirth (eventual c-section of a 9lbs. 13oz. baby), not a stress fracture, not stitches, not running a marathon, or recovering from a marathon. Nope. Not one thing has been as painful as the therapy for a muscle tear.
I was on my belly, clinching my fist, and kicking my good leg. (I later learned that most cry and that includes the grown men. I feel that earns me some serious street cred.)
I left the office with the strict instructions not to run, cycling and swimming were okay, and to come back on Wednesday, February 2.
Thank goodness for the purchase of a trainer this winter. My butt and that saddle got real familiar this month!
I was lucky to only have to do the ultrasound treatment on 2/2/11, not hand-to-calf contact. That was a nice Groundhog's gift! No more torture.
Karl had me schedule a massage with our favorite therapist, Nancy Korroch, for Friday, February 4. He treated me with another ultrasound and then sent me down the street to her.
She worked that pesky tear over. I wasn't in as much pain as Monday, but sheesh! I found myself on my belly clinching my fist once more.
She also had another plan for me. She's been researching Ion Detox Foot Baths. I got to be one of her guinea pigs. Along with claims of ridding your body of dangerous toxins, it also couples with electrode therapy. So I sat with electrodes on my sore calf, causing it to contract, and watched as my clear water turned into a swamp of supposed toxins.

Nice clean water to start

Less than 5 minutes in

About 15 minutes

The final shot at 30 minutes

 The chart showed that greens and oranges were possible toxins from my gallbladder and joints, I think. Like I said, we're in the research stage of this product. And she figured, it couldn't hurt to try and see if it helped the healing process. Man, it was gross to see though!!

I couldn't run long the next day, so on Saturday, February 5, I replaced my long run with my first 50 mile spin. Whew! Even the best of shows can't make that sort of thing fun. I watched a lot of TV that day and was so glad when the 50 rolled over on my calculator!
Fast forward to Wednesday, February 9. I'd totaled four ultrasound treatments and even was approved to give the elliptical a whirl.

Finally on my feet

But Wednesday was the real test. A bona fide run on a treadmill was on the doctor's orders. Only 3 miles, but I took it. I felt pretty good and I got pretty eager. I felt like a caged horse, dying to run. I probably ran a little too hard, finishing up in sub 7/minute miles. It felt really good.
Wednesday, February 16: PT require a morning 5 miler and an evening 5 miler to see how the legs would do on their first double digit day. I'd been allowed to run several 5's and 6's since the first treadmill run, but nothing higher. All signs pointed towards healing as I finished my day's miles with the Wednesday GoRun gang once more.
Saturday, February 19: First "Long Run" back. Ran 14 with the Saturday morning crew and reported back to PT that there was no pain, just a little tightness. He sent me on to my normal week this week and had me plan to check in on Thursday.
Thursday, February 24: "If you promise to go moderate, no hills, no speed work, and vow to shut it down after 15 miles if there's pain, you can run the scheduled 20."
Saturday, February 26 (Today):

No PAIN to report!

Kids, I think we're back in business!

Anyone want to buy my tickets to Boston?

He's All Heart!

My little man is hi-jacking the blog today. I'll allow it though.

Check out what he has to say:


(Notice his celebration at the end? That was "Take 15" of the afternoon!)

Here's "His Website":

http://bit.ly/hxtAE3

I used to participate in Jump Rope For Heart when I was little and it's been great to watch Judah do the same for the last 3 years.

World Cup Practice

One of his pals from pre-school has a baby brother with a "special heart." Judah was really impacted when he learned that a baby had to go through open heart surgery. It really sank in this summer when he saw the scar at a pool party. 

Michael Phelps #2

So, even though this snow is causing lots of cabin fever, Judah doesn't argue too much when he's told he needs to get some "exercise."

If it's too cold to get outside, then he has to give us 30 minutes of Wii Fit. Tough price to pay for having a healthy heart.

Blizzard of Oz, 2011

He's starting to understand what a gift good health really is. 

Thanks for listening and thank you for your donations!

9:05, 1 Mile Oct. 2010. That's MY boy!!