Summertime!

We have had a crazy fun and busy summer so my blogging has fallen to the wayside.

Life is happening and we are making memories!

We have had a great summer.  We have spent time with family, we have gone on a road trip or two and we have been able to enjoy some lazy summer days, because if you ask anyone in the prairie provinces of Canada, it's been kind of a crummy, cold summer!

We went for Japanese one day and had so much fun
"corralling" Ellie with the legless seat backs!

I had created goals for myself at the beginning of the summer and I have met and exceeded all of them except for one.

I did not compete in the Devon triathlon.  I decided that I hadn't put in enough time in the pool and so I wasn't ready.  I beat myself up a bit over it, because as anyone who creates goals can tell you, when you don't complete something you've set out to do, it can be a little disheartening.

The fact of the matter was, I hadn't made triathlon training a priority.

I have made running a priority, however, and my hard work and kilometers logged allowed me to run a personal best time at the Moose is Loose and I came in with a 2:07:45.

I cried a little, as I always do when I achieve a PB time, and then my thoughts immediately drifted into the logistics and timing that would be needed to run a sub 2 hour half in the Edmonton marathon.

Well, here it is.

Six days away from the Edmonton Derby marathon and I'm nervous.  

I'm nervous that I won't prep well, or feel good, or that I'll have to pee (legit concern!) and my time will be around a 2:02 or 2:05 and then I'll be crying for another reason.

I know, without a doubt that I can run a 2 hour, actually, 1:59:59, half marathon, but I also know my body, and I don't want to risk injury or extreme exhaustion for the sake of a time.

I'm stretching.
On the couch.
Because I had to still be a Mom, even though I couldn't hardly walk!

I have said it before, and I will say it again now.  

Running is a part of who I am.

I am happy when I'm running.

This nagging ankle injury could very well be the worst thing to ever happen to me.
In the grande scheme, it's petty.
But it is still significant in the life of an athlete.

I met with a sports medicine physician at the University of Alberta last month who basically said that the injury I've been told I have all along, by my family physician and physiotherapist, is in fact, not at all the injury that is plaguing me currently.
Sinus tarsi syndrome.  At least it's nice to put a name to it!
The injury I have that will not release it's grasp, is an inflammation of the space behind all the ligaments I've previously injured.
I don't know the anatomy or physiology of this injury, and it's irrelevant anyways, because bottom line is I've got an appointment for a cortisone shot in early September.
This.  Is.  A.  Big.  deal.

Cortisone.
Steroids.
What I've tried to avoid at all costs.

I'm still not even sure I'm going to go through with it because I feel like it could be a make or break (no pun intended) kind of decision.
Time will tell and in the in-between-time I've got another half marathon to run, so I'll post again after this brief and cold summer is over.

We spent many days on the beach, the monkey girls and their Dad and I.
Good times!  We LOVE the lake!