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on a positive note


I don't entirely understand this cat lipstick. It's extremely impractical (who has a mouth shaped like a cat's head?), but I think I kind of like it because of its weirdness. (And let's be honest here: It is a cat. I pretty much like anything that is a cat. I'm not a hard sell. Remember how I once bought a toilet seat cover for cats? Although maybe I shouldn't compare lipstick to toilets.)

In fact, it's quite possible that I may actually buy this cat lipstick as a treat to celebrate my knee. Yes, that's right: The knee is healing up!

I went for a difficult 14-mile trail run Sunday in Auburn with my friend Derrick, who recently completed his first ultramarathon. (I flew straight to the Sacramento area from Utah -- lots of running in new places over the last few days.) We ran part of the Western States 100 course, if that gives you any idea of how tough this run was. The hills were brutal, the heat was uncomfortable and it became apparent almost immediately that my trail-running skills leave much to be desired. While Derrick trotted along and chatted away, I was gasping for air and trying to avoid spraining my ankle, falling on my face, tripping on a rock, etc. (Dear Derrick: You are a very patient friend.)

My ankles and quads were sore afterward, but my knee didn't hurt.

Yesterday morning I met up with my track group for the first time in three weeks. We did 2 x 400, 2 x 800 and 2 x 1200 (I actually cut this short and did 1 x 1200 and 1 x 800 since I haven't done speed in awhile), with the first set at 10K pace and the second set at 5K pace. I was by far the slowest person -- to the point where I almost got lapped on the 1200. (My 5K pace was pretty much an all-out sprint because if I ran my real 5K pace, everyone would've gone home by the time I was done running.)

But my knee felt fine, even though my ego was a bit bruised. And when I went to my physical therapist yesterday, she said she didn't think I needed to come back for another appointment. She just gave me more ab exercises and some tips on increasing the efficiency of my gait and then sent me on my way.

What she didn't tell me, however, was if I would look best in the Claire de Lune or Over the Moon. Decisions, decisions!

2 comments

Derrick Tsang said...

Girl - you totally rocked that trail! Haha like I said before, thanks for trusting me to be you guide! (You haven't known me long enough to know how bad my sense of direction is.) Keep up the speedwork and I guarantee that you will see results. Woot to the PT telling you to not come back!

Michaela said...

Haha -- thanks! If you have a bad sense of direction, mine is definitely worse! Almost every time I've gone trail running, I've gotten lost!