Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking!
Saturday, Feb. 11, the team and I headed to the Royal Gorge in Tahoe for our practice. The drive there was pretty uneventful. I caught a ride with 2 of my teammates and tried to mentally prepare myself for a day of skiing a 30K. Saturday was the day that I needed to prove to myself that I could complete the 40K on race day.
The Saturday before, Feb. 6, had done a number on my ankle and it was still bruised and swollen. After arriving to the resort, I sought out my coach to help me tape up my ankle in hopes of blocking whatever was rubbing my ankle rare. We were able to determine what was rubbing my ankle, but unfortunately it is part of the boot that needs to be broke in for it to not rub me. My coach was pretty confident that if I taped my ankle that I should be fine. I was less certain, so while he was taping my ankle I was downing 3 advil to stop any pain that might be forthcoming.
My 2 friends/teammates and I decided to take off on our own after my ankle was taped. We mapped out our route and were on our way. We were headed straight for the hill that started the "Stuart Smalley Affect" weeks prior for me. I was determined to make it down the hill this time. I made it partway down, but fell on the steepest part of the downslope...the same spot I fell before. I bounced back up and caught up with my teammates, who are much faster skiers than I am. We continued on our path and as the day progressed I had fallen so many times that I lost count. Unfortunately, the snow was very icy that day so everytime I fell I felt like I was landing on cement. My hamstrings, booty and lower back were starting to ache and hurt from the amount of falls that I had taken, but I kept going...and surprisingly enough my ankle was holding up fairly well.
After skiing for several hours, I noticed that we were approaching a trail that looked like it should be at a downhill resort...this trail was called The Wall....enough said! As I got halfway up the hill, it hit me that I was going to have to get back down the hill from hell. I started my "Stuart Smalley Affirmations" at that moment...couldn't hurt to get started early with the positive thoughts right? After rounding a corner we were at the Devil's Peak warming hut. I thought we were done and were turning around when I noticed a trail that continued passed the warming hut...this trail would lead us to Devil's Peak...again, enough said. My teammates and I decided that we would take the trail to see where it led. This was the hill of all hills. It was a mountain! It took me 20 minutes or more to climb b/c of the length and the steepness of the grade. I noticed as I was climbing it that there were a number of twists and turns on the trail, so coming down was going to be hairy for me. I got to the top and was elated that I made it, though the stress had started to set in about the downhill. I decided right then that if I felt like I was going out of control that I would butt plant it, I am the master at that maneuver!
I started the descent and prayed for the best. I was really nervous about the turns on the trails....We had climbed so far up that a fall off the side would seriously injury me or worse. I fell numerous times on the descent and almost slid off the side a few times, but I made it down to the bottom. I had several nasty falls on that downhill, several of which gave me ice burn on my arm and lower back/booty area. On one of my falls I had fallen so hard that my shirt pulled up and my pants pulled down and the ice scraped me up pretty bad. After that major fall, I got up and fell immediately back down and landed on my ski edge....talk about pain in my booty! I knew that was going to leave a mark!
After I got down Devil's Peak I wanted to continue going b/c I knew that I still had The Wall to get down. After getting down that I could rest. My teammates wanted me to rest, b/c I had taken a beating on the downhill. I took a brief rest and then continued on our way. I knew that if I stopped for too long that I would be too sore to continue, so I had to continue moving before the soreness set in.
I made it down The Wall, but not without falling a few times, almost taking out another skier (sad, but true), and getting a cramp in my arch of my foot. After getting down the hills from hell and skiing for another hour or so my ankle bone decided it was time to scream out in pain. Every stride that I took was agony on my ankle. The advil had definitely worn off. At one point I was ready to throw my ski poles and be done with this pain. I had been chatting with my Pa (he had passed away almost 5 years ago) to give me the courage to continue going. I was wearing one of his triple crown cycling jerseys, so I thought it was fitting that I ask him to give me the strength to continue. He of all people knew the physical pain that I was feeling at this moment. I was on the verge of quitting for awhile when I heard a voice in my head (no I am not crazy!) tell me, "The pain that you are experiencing is nothing like the pain of the disease that you are training and racing for. Your pain will not kill you, but what you are raising money for will. So suck it up and FINISH!" I know this might sound strange to you, but I knew that was my Pa talking to me. After hearing that I felt a new surge of energy to continue going. My ankle still hurt, but it was not as predominate.
My teammates and I skied for another hour or so before stopping for lunch. At this point we had skied for several hours and needed to refuel. We sat for about 30 minutes and then started out on our merry way again. We had mapped out a course, but I had missed one of the trails. I figured that I would pick it up later down the way. When I got to where the trails met I didn't see my teammates. I waited for awhile and they didn't come so I started to ask around. I was told they were at the top of the hill...yes that is right, I had another hill to climb! So I climbed the hill and looked around and I didn't see them. So I skied to where we had decided to pick up more trails. I waited there for another 15 minutes once I got there, but didn't see them. So I decided to take off on my own. The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to make up mileage that I had lost b/c of all the hill climbing.
At the end of the day, I skied 6 hours (not including breaks) and got a 30K in. I spoke to my coach about the race and he is very confident that if I was able to complete a 30K in Tahoe that day, I could ski the 40K at the race and finish well under the 7 hour mark. While training in Bear Valley and Tahoe we have been training in a minimum of 7000ft elevation and hills from hell that we won't have to contend with on race day. I am now feeling a lot more confident about the race.
After I got home I realized how bruised and battered I really was....I had ice burn all over and bruises on my booty, thighs, hamstrings, calves and shins. I took a beating that day and am still feeling it now. I am swollen on my hips from the impact of my falls and am walking like I am 80 years old. But even with all that said, I am dang proud of myself. I have come so far in the last several months....I would have never thought that I would be preparing for a 40K. When I agreed to this challenge, I really thought that I was going to just train for the 25K. After getting so engrossed in my training I realized that I could do this. If people are living and battling leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, I can complete a 40K.
Now we are just a few short weeks away from the race. I can't believe it! 14 days a counting!
The Saturday before, Feb. 6, had done a number on my ankle and it was still bruised and swollen. After arriving to the resort, I sought out my coach to help me tape up my ankle in hopes of blocking whatever was rubbing my ankle rare. We were able to determine what was rubbing my ankle, but unfortunately it is part of the boot that needs to be broke in for it to not rub me. My coach was pretty confident that if I taped my ankle that I should be fine. I was less certain, so while he was taping my ankle I was downing 3 advil to stop any pain that might be forthcoming.
My 2 friends/teammates and I decided to take off on our own after my ankle was taped. We mapped out our route and were on our way. We were headed straight for the hill that started the "Stuart Smalley Affect" weeks prior for me. I was determined to make it down the hill this time. I made it partway down, but fell on the steepest part of the downslope...the same spot I fell before. I bounced back up and caught up with my teammates, who are much faster skiers than I am. We continued on our path and as the day progressed I had fallen so many times that I lost count. Unfortunately, the snow was very icy that day so everytime I fell I felt like I was landing on cement. My hamstrings, booty and lower back were starting to ache and hurt from the amount of falls that I had taken, but I kept going...and surprisingly enough my ankle was holding up fairly well.
After skiing for several hours, I noticed that we were approaching a trail that looked like it should be at a downhill resort...this trail was called The Wall....enough said! As I got halfway up the hill, it hit me that I was going to have to get back down the hill from hell. I started my "Stuart Smalley Affirmations" at that moment...couldn't hurt to get started early with the positive thoughts right? After rounding a corner we were at the Devil's Peak warming hut. I thought we were done and were turning around when I noticed a trail that continued passed the warming hut...this trail would lead us to Devil's Peak...again, enough said. My teammates and I decided that we would take the trail to see where it led. This was the hill of all hills. It was a mountain! It took me 20 minutes or more to climb b/c of the length and the steepness of the grade. I noticed as I was climbing it that there were a number of twists and turns on the trail, so coming down was going to be hairy for me. I got to the top and was elated that I made it, though the stress had started to set in about the downhill. I decided right then that if I felt like I was going out of control that I would butt plant it, I am the master at that maneuver!
I started the descent and prayed for the best. I was really nervous about the turns on the trails....We had climbed so far up that a fall off the side would seriously injury me or worse. I fell numerous times on the descent and almost slid off the side a few times, but I made it down to the bottom. I had several nasty falls on that downhill, several of which gave me ice burn on my arm and lower back/booty area. On one of my falls I had fallen so hard that my shirt pulled up and my pants pulled down and the ice scraped me up pretty bad. After that major fall, I got up and fell immediately back down and landed on my ski edge....talk about pain in my booty! I knew that was going to leave a mark!
After I got down Devil's Peak I wanted to continue going b/c I knew that I still had The Wall to get down. After getting down that I could rest. My teammates wanted me to rest, b/c I had taken a beating on the downhill. I took a brief rest and then continued on our way. I knew that if I stopped for too long that I would be too sore to continue, so I had to continue moving before the soreness set in.
I made it down The Wall, but not without falling a few times, almost taking out another skier (sad, but true), and getting a cramp in my arch of my foot. After getting down the hills from hell and skiing for another hour or so my ankle bone decided it was time to scream out in pain. Every stride that I took was agony on my ankle. The advil had definitely worn off. At one point I was ready to throw my ski poles and be done with this pain. I had been chatting with my Pa (he had passed away almost 5 years ago) to give me the courage to continue going. I was wearing one of his triple crown cycling jerseys, so I thought it was fitting that I ask him to give me the strength to continue. He of all people knew the physical pain that I was feeling at this moment. I was on the verge of quitting for awhile when I heard a voice in my head (no I am not crazy!) tell me, "The pain that you are experiencing is nothing like the pain of the disease that you are training and racing for. Your pain will not kill you, but what you are raising money for will. So suck it up and FINISH!" I know this might sound strange to you, but I knew that was my Pa talking to me. After hearing that I felt a new surge of energy to continue going. My ankle still hurt, but it was not as predominate.
My teammates and I skied for another hour or so before stopping for lunch. At this point we had skied for several hours and needed to refuel. We sat for about 30 minutes and then started out on our merry way again. We had mapped out a course, but I had missed one of the trails. I figured that I would pick it up later down the way. When I got to where the trails met I didn't see my teammates. I waited for awhile and they didn't come so I started to ask around. I was told they were at the top of the hill...yes that is right, I had another hill to climb! So I climbed the hill and looked around and I didn't see them. So I skied to where we had decided to pick up more trails. I waited there for another 15 minutes once I got there, but didn't see them. So I decided to take off on my own. The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to make up mileage that I had lost b/c of all the hill climbing.
At the end of the day, I skied 6 hours (not including breaks) and got a 30K in. I spoke to my coach about the race and he is very confident that if I was able to complete a 30K in Tahoe that day, I could ski the 40K at the race and finish well under the 7 hour mark. While training in Bear Valley and Tahoe we have been training in a minimum of 7000ft elevation and hills from hell that we won't have to contend with on race day. I am now feeling a lot more confident about the race.
After I got home I realized how bruised and battered I really was....I had ice burn all over and bruises on my booty, thighs, hamstrings, calves and shins. I took a beating that day and am still feeling it now. I am swollen on my hips from the impact of my falls and am walking like I am 80 years old. But even with all that said, I am dang proud of myself. I have come so far in the last several months....I would have never thought that I would be preparing for a 40K. When I agreed to this challenge, I really thought that I was going to just train for the 25K. After getting so engrossed in my training I realized that I could do this. If people are living and battling leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, I can complete a 40K.
Now we are just a few short weeks away from the race. I can't believe it! 14 days a counting!
posted by Patty at
6:02 PM
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