Keep Calm and Hurdle On!

Sometimes I crack myself up. Literally that is.

Ribs to be exact.

I have not been able to run for the past three weeks or more. Well, to be exact for the past 20 days, but who's counting?

Instead of counting the days, I should be counting the reasons I'm not running.

Here are the TOP 10 reasons...

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#1 You're not as young as you used to be.

#2 You're no longer 20 years old. (similar to #1 but actually very different)

#3 You should ALWAYS ask yourself before doing something a little off, "What am I thinking?"

#4 If the answer is, "I'm not thinking!", then don't do it!

#5 When running on a high school track, if there are hurdles set up, IGNORE them! They are not there for YOU!

#6 If attempting to hurdle on a track ANYWAY, be 100% certain the hurdle is facing the correct way so it will have some give.

#7 Look around on the soft field BEFORE attempting to hurdle on the HARD track to see if there is possibly a shorter hurdle set up to attempt first.

#8 If attempt to hurdle on hard track and biff it, do not run back to your car almost a mile away with cracked ribs. WALK!

#9 Do not tell husband how you got injured exactly. Saying, "I fell on some ice...", (which you DID do, after all there WAS ice on the track where you hit), sounds much better than, "I tried to hurdle on the track because when I saw them set up, I just couldn't resist, and I KNEW I could do it, but as I was leaping over I tripped on the hurdle because it was facing the wrong way and my foot clipped it and so I smashed my entire right side into the very hard and cold track injuring my head and ribs and now I will need to be pampered by you and you will have to do all the laundry and meals and messes and listen to me say over and over, "What was I thinking, what was I thinking!!!????"...interspersed with much groaning.

#10 You are no longer 20 years old! (that one needs repeating twice)

It was very difficult to resist those hurdles after running around a few times and remembering the feel of hurdling from so long ago. I kept saying to myself, "I can do that!" There is really nothing quite like that feeling... especially when you're 50 and think you're still 20! The feeling is a bit different now, I must say. Instead of feeling the freedom of flying through the air, I felt the pain of lying on the asphalt - in pain. Yeah, not quite the same.

It does help to go over them the RIGHT direction. I am sure had I remembered this small detail, I would still be running!

The injured hurdle. It actually came out worse than the hurdler.

I feel lucky the only injury I sustained was cracked ribs. It could have been much worse. And I am extremely grateful NO ONE witnessed this amazing feat. I am sure if they had, they would have called and immediately signed me up for the upcoming Olympics! After all, there is nothing more graceful than a 50 year old woman hurdling over a backwards facing hurdle and eating the ground. Nothing. In fact, I had to lay there - without moving - for about 15 minutes just to soak it all in. The pain that is.

WHAT WAS I THINKING?!!!!!!!!

The truth is, I KNOW that if the opportunity arose again, I would attempt it again. 50 or not! This time though, I would just make sure the hurdle was facing the right way.

Life IS for living and the only way to live is to feel. Unfortunately sometimes it doesn't feel so good, but at least you know you're alive and kicking!

My new mantra:

POST UPDATE!

It has been three weeks since I cracked myself up.

I have been very happy that I have been able to do short distance running the past two days. I got up to three miles and felt okay during the runs, but pretty sore after. When I attempted to run today, it was pretty tender and so I just walked hills instead.

Low and behold LOOK what I saw while walking those hills!

Yes, it appears to be the perfect HURDLE!

Well, other than the fact it isn't a hurdle.

It is some kind of construction thingy, but it called HURDLE out to me!

Sooooooooooooo...

I stood it upright...

I removed big rocks surrounding it...

And I said to myself, "Should she or shouldn't she?"

Anyone that knows me already knows what my answer was.

I HAD to do it!

 

I know, I know!

But...in my defense, I DID practice a couple of times to make sure I would be able to clear it before I did the actual hurdle. And, this one was just a bit shorter than the track one I biffed it on.

The only drawback was it wouldn't "give" if I didn't make it. Kind of like going over them backwards. But hey, I have experience in that!

I got a good running start. The running part was very painful.

And...

SUCCESS!!!!

She did it!!!

I have redeemed myself!!!

Here I am sitting on that thing feeling like I had totally CONQUERED!

Woot-Woot!!!

GO ME!!!

And always remember to: