Saturday, February 27, 2010

I want to get back to my city by the bay

Oh boy. So much to update you all on! So sorry about my absence. Ok, maybe you haven't even noticed.
First, let's start with the kidney stone. I started to post this last week then I some how deleted it and didn't have the energy to rewrite it all. For those of you who don't know the kidney stone back story, it's here.
Thurs. after this incident, I was feeling mostly fine. I had planned on going out to Jersey with Ishii and running back over the GWB for my long run. Something different. Before leaving, I was starting to get that not so great feeling of having to pee every few minutes and having not much come out. As we drove over to Jersey, I was starting to think this run wasn't such a good idea. I wasn't in pain, I just felt a little weird. The pee things was annoying and I was feeling this pressure on my side where the pain was a few days before. The run went fine except for several pit stops (including one UNDER the GWB, cause I'm KLASSY like that).
I ran about 9 miles with Ishii then headed over to Central Park to finish. Where I ran into Rayk. Then Rayk's sister. See, NYC isn't that big of a town.
After my run, I just didn't feel right. I called my DR, who's office is still in chaos and got referred to a urologist. Long story short, he confirmed I had a stone. Good thing was, as far as he could tell, it had made about 98% of the trip out. He also gave me pain killers to take just in case, and Flomax to help with the peeing problem. And as a karmic payback for constantly making fun of those commercials. I was going for a CT scan the next morning, and while waiting for that, I passed the stone. It didn't hurt but was more like an odd sensation. They did the scan anyway to make sure it didn't have any friends waiting in the wings and all looked good.

Sat. I flew out to SF. The NYC winter is really getting me down this year. It's been cold. It's been wet and snowy. I'm over it. I needed a break so off I went. Before going, I found a race to do while out there. It's nice to race in different places. Sunday, I ran the Chinese New Year 10k. I enlisted my pal Meredith who I was visiting, to run as well. We were good friends when we were kids and have not seen each other in, well, an embarrassingly long time.
At the start of the race, it was about 50 degrees with a misty kinda rain. Perfect shorts weather for someone who's spent the last few months running in sub freezing temps. Perfect wear 5 layers weather for someone who thinks 50 degrees is cold.
This was a smallish race, which was nice. My only problem with it, besides a hill that wanted to make me vomit at mile 3, was the 5k and the 10k started together and was all gun timed. So I wanted to start close to the front but not get sucked in by running too fast with the 5k folks. I did a fairly good job. Threw a few elbows, managed to get clear. Ran my first mile in 7:10. Ooops.
Since coming back from my injury I really haven't raced. I didn't have any really huge expectations. I was thinking sub 50 would be good for this race. I felt pretty steady and the crowd really thinned out after the 5k people turned off to finish.
My time was 47:44, 7:42 pace. Not bad. It didn't kill me and was well under sub 50. Based on past times, I figured I could get a top 10 finish. I was 11th. Age group awards were under 19 and over 19 so that was so not going to happen, but over all, happy with the results.
After the race, someone came up to me and asked if I was Dog Pound. Funny as it sounds, it's not the first time this has happened and I always get a kick out of it. It was Jim. He and I both read and comment on Flo's blog and he recognized me. See, small world!

The rest of my running week consisted of a recovery run with Meredith on Monday, a 12 miler on Wed, and an unexpected tempo run on Fri. I was suppose to fly back to NYC on Thurs but with the snowicane or whatever they're calling this last winter storm hit NYC and my flight was cancelled. No real complaints from me about staying in CA another day. Before leaving yesterday morning. Me and my new west coast running pal headed out. I was planning on a tempoish run. I warmed up for 2 miles, then did 4 at whatever pace that was. I was hoping to stay close to 8s or just under but I was just over. It was 58 degrees and humid and I just felt sluggish. I'm just gonna write it off as it is what it is and not worry about it.

So now I've returned to the snowicane conditions I was trying to leave in the first place. Sigh. Oh well. It's not all that cold, there's just a lot of snow. Off for an 18 miler tomorrow where I will not be wearing shorts.

And I leave you with a picture of me and Meredith post race. Clearly, you can see who lives where by our outfits.

7 comments:

Girl In Motion said...

Welcome home, honey!! Congrats on the race and the stone removal. :-)

GB said...

Woman... I had no idea you would be in my neck of the woods. I live an hour and a half away from SF and had I known you would be here, I would've driven over to meet you!!! PLEASE let me know when you're out here again. Did I miss that on FB??? Grrrrr! ;)

And for you to say that passing a kidney stone did not really hurt... um, wow. You are a freaking stud! I've heard those are so, so painful. Glad it was but a blip for you. And nice work at the 10K!!!

DogPound said...

it was a bit of a whirl wind trip out west, but I'll let you know when I'm there again for sure. It's my home away from here.
Now, it didn't hurt when it passed, but 2 days before it rendered me immobile with pain as it was moving, so I didn't get off pain free.

L.A. Runner said...

You passed a kidney stone and "it didn't hurt"?????? You are hard core, dear. I love that you got your racing mojo back in the 10K AND that the race made you wear a pink bib. Hehee. Glad you had fun visiting your buddy in CA. I've never been there, but it's a place I've always wanted to visit.

jaysummer4 said...

1. Good timing; hadn't checked in for a while.
2. Glad to hear about your nearly pain-free stone passing.
3. Love S.F. DW and I are trying to create a reason to get out there in May. That pic made me laugh. Northern Californians (and Texans) don't know cold, even if we got snow in Austin last week. With memories of 65 days over 100 degrees last summer, I'm okay with our "winter" lasting a bit longer.
-JS4

DogPound said...

LA-the bib is RED! I actually like pink, just not when it's forced on me.

Jay, too funny, my pal there lives in CA but was born in...Texas.

TiredMamaRunning said...

That's hilarious about Jim! And damn, my Dad had kidney stones several times when I was a kid-he was a runner too and it totally sidelined him when they were going on. So, glad yours passed without turning you inside out.