update

saw the specialist at the cast clinic at the hospital last week. hairline fracture of the patella. luckily, the crack didn't go all the way through and the interior face of the patella that makes up the knee joint was not displaced. meaning: treatment is no lower body exercise for four to five weeks, another set of x-rays and a gradual return to running etc provided that things are healing up nicely. avoided a big splint and more importantly surgery.
feeling very fortunate. 

Snap

finally went to the doctor. doctor sent me for xrays. back to the doc. back for more rays. wait. wait. wait. fractured patella.

Receptionist phoned me Tuesday: you need to see the orthopedic immediately, you have an appointment at the cast clinic at the hospital on Friday. Bring a book. oh, and take it very, very easy between now and then.

*click*

so there's that. 

still spectating

still sidelined with the knee thing from the fall four weeks ago. it's getting better slowly. mobility is coming back but footfalls still cause pain in the joint. did two, one hour runs last week to test it out. i still had increased pain yesterday from Thursday night's run. originally was thinking of doing some loops this AM as an attempt to see how it would hold up on a run greater than two hours but decided against it. this weekend was pretty well the last chance to get a long run in to test the knee and the nutrition before the Chuckanut 50k on March 17th. It's starting to look more and more like I'll be giving away my entry for that one.
off to the doc tomorrow. we'll see how it goes. discouraging to be injured and unable to start my first 50k , especially from something that was caused by my own stupidity and totally avoidable. but, there are other events on the calendar, this year and the next, and the next, and the next, so no need to do long term damage trying to get to the line for one event.

Sidelined

long time between posts. again. like the training, without a firm goal the output slides. Busy time of year at work, the family moved to a new home, Christmas, etc.
had a pretty exciting year mapped out. signed up for the Chucknut 50K in Bellingham on March 17th. Once again, talked into something by runninggunner. so far, his advice has been painfully good for me and i expect this time to be no different. have a free entry to the vancouver first half and am planning on using that as a nutrition 'test day' by stacking on some miles before the race and seeing how the fluids stay down. I should say 'was' planning on it, because as of right now I am on the shelf with a banged up knee.
With the 50k looming on the calendar and a long run scheduled, i went out last Sunday knowing that conditions were rough and the footing was a little dicey. it had been snowing and warm throughout the day and then clear and cold at night making for some slick, glassy streets.
I had cut the run short and was carefully picking my way back through the neighbourhood when I just lapsed for a few seconds running down a hill. planted the right foot and it shot right out from under me. I went down pretty well right on top of my left kneecap and rolled over on my hip/shoulder and into the intersection. luckily, it was early and i didnt get run over to add insult and more injury to injury. my Salomon jacket held up to the concrete slide. i was amazed.
running the 2.5 miles home from the crash site was probably a bad idea but it was rainy and cold and my family was getting out of bed.
anyways, i took a week off and mentally committed to a rest week off to keep myself from getting ancy about approaching races. well, a week plus 2 has passed and i'm closer to running but not back yet. trying to  stay positive but a little discouraged and watching the red circles on my calendar get closer and closer.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone. I wish the best for you and your families.

200

This is my 200th post two days after my 37th birthday. One of the best birthdays in a long while. My good friends and family came through with many things that I love. Jamie got me a sweet new dress watch to wear when i'm Suit Guy and planned a surprise dinner with a bunch of our friends. I had super tasty ale braised short ribs. Runninggunner was supposed to be there but he doesn't like me was sick. My homie Ryan hooked me up with a pound of red licorice, I scored a Value Village gift certificate for more thrifting treasures and Andrew scored me the hunter green Snuggie I have wanted for ages. An All-Snuggie photo post coming soon.
Spent the afternoon with Violet and hit up the new Muppet movie. It was her first time to the theater and the show was excellent. Very wholesome, very earnest, very Muppet-y. A great experience, aside from the fact that they initially loaded the wrong film into the projector. The previews seemed a little intense for a kids movie and when the 'Feature' started it was Twilight-Breaking Dawn. Needless to say, my 4 year old daughter was not a fan of the werewolves. Crisis averted with a minute or two outside the theater while they shut down the wrong film and got it sorted.
Great run on the back 9 of the canal course of Northview Golf and Country Club. Great run, scenic, quiet, rolling. Would be a great spot for a little race. Maybe next year in support of Mo-vember. Felt fast-ish. Soundtrack was the Fanfarlo album from a few years back.

40 less 2

last day of my forty day stretch. great run tonight, clear skies and a nearly full moon. Christmas lights up everywhere. beautiful. ipod on shuffle: plants and animals, the pains of being pure at heart, wilco, yeasayer, bon iver, real estate, lady gaga, fleet foxes.
since i posted two zeros during my 40 day stretch I'm going to extend the streak two more days to 'make up' for the missed days. cause i'm obsessive like that.