"Rest" Report - Sitches Are out - Ready to RUN!

"Life Happens."

"God's ways are not man's ways."

"Everything happens for a reason."

These are familiar quotes and we've all heard them forever.  They are all reminders that running is a privilege.  A privelege that some don't have and one that I should be more thankful for.

I ran my fastest 50K time ever at Landsford Canal on July 16th.  On July 18th I had a 5 X 3 inch section of my back cut out and mailed off to be biopsied for cancer.  Wow, what a difference 48 hours can make?

To make a long story short I had my annual skin screening at the dermatologist and he removed two areas to be biopsied.  He assured me that they looked fine and he was required to send them into the lab.  He simply zapped these two little spots off of me, stuck on a band-aid and told me to resume life as normal.

Great - I was out running that evening.  No problems at all and I felt fine.

A few days later I get a call from the doctor stating that a larger sample of skin would be required for lab examination and that I needed to come back in immediately.  One of the moles had a strange shape.

Well, I just thought that this would be another little simple "freeze-a-mole" session and I would be on my merry way again in a matter of minutes.

WRONG!

The doctor came in with his scrubs on along with three nurses explaining that he was going to remove a large section of my skin near my left shoulder blade.  He explained that it would take 45 minutes to complete the removal and that it was time to do it now.

Dang, that was 45 minutes of torture!  I could feel, smell and hear the skin being cut from my back.  The nurses also had this little thing that would burn capillaries shut to keep them from bleeding.  That should be used on terrorist worldwide.

I'm a wimp.

When it was finished the Doc told me no running or any physical activity for a month.  Yea, a month.  I immediately laughed to myself and couldn't wait to show him how wrong he was. 

He was pretty much right.

It's been 15 days with NO running.  Well almost none.  I did go out on day three and run.  I nearly pulled all of the stitches out after trying to run for two minutes.  I retreated back to the car and sulked.  Actually, I threw some water bottles around got ill.  It just didn't seem right. 

So of course this sent me into the dreaded abyss of no running - no exercise at all.  It made me angry so I just threw my hands up and quit trying.

Then I started eating everything in sight.

You can see where this is going.

A few days later the nurse called and said I had a clean report with no problems!  YES! 

I went out and tried to run again.  Yes, more blood running down my back after a few minutes.

More stupidity.

Once again, I retreated back to the car.  Threw some more stuff around and whined for a while. 

So finally I was able to get all of the sutures out on Monday.  The nurse told me not to run for a week so you know what I did, right?    :]

I went an ran a mile.  It hurt a little bit, but no blood came out.  So I ran 4.5 yesterday and I will run 6 today.  Doc said not to run for another week, but as long as I feel good and don't have blood its on.

The Laurel Valley 35 miler is in 10 days and I don't have time to sit around eating King Dongs wondering what I'm gonna do.

I'm 15 lbs. heavier and a little out of running shape, but I'm healthy.  I'm learning to be more thankful for that.  Much more thankful.

I'm rested too.

I'm running LV this year as a tribute to those living with cancer.  Everyday they get up and face it.  God gives them the strength to continue on and they just do it.

Climbing those hot & humid mountains will be a celebration of life and running for me this year.

Thankful to be out there with so many great friends and often sending up prayers for those who aren't able to do so.

My sub 9:00 hour goal is not nearly as important as it was two weeks ago. 

Running it is enough.