Holly Jolly Holy Moley

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Despite the festive season, the hits just kept on hitting this week. After a visit last week to my PCP, I received my blood test results and found out that I am prediabetic. Not only that, but I carry a gene that makes me at high risk for heart disease. As you can imagine, I was very upset by this news. I hope that eating well and exercising are enough to overcome my genetics. I have scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist in February to discuss my risks and my options.

I also had a couple of really challenging incidents at work this week. While I won't go into details, the antivaccine and antiscience sentiment is increasingly impacting our practice. Vaccines are a hill I will die on, and if this week was a sample of what's to come, then retirement will happen much sooner than I wanted. 

And after Christmas, I fell sick again, with fever, body aches, and congestion. I spent Friday and Saturday on the couch. I thought it was influenza, because one of my partners has influenza B. The hubs went to the pharmacy to pick up a test, but there were none left! I had some old Covid tests, and I tested positive. When I messaged my partners, another one messaged that she has influenza A! We are the trifecta, lol. 

What a way to wind up 2025.

The Calm Before...

...THE WEDDING.

EEEK! It's here!

Next week is my oldest son's wedding. All the planning is done and the big--very big--event takes place next weekend. This week will be all about preparing for the big day. I am excited and also anxious! I've been asked to give a speech at the wedding, and I have it written. I'm only working one day this week. My future DIL and I have plans on Wednesday for a mani-pedi, which will be relaxing and a chance for us to decompress. And yes, the workouts and runs will continue, right up to the big day. 

It feels like a marathon, with all the pre-race jitters! 

Staycation

I've been off work all week! I always take a week off in July and one in August because summer is just too short. Sometimes I have travel plans, like I did in July, and sometimes I stay home, like I did this week. I didn't get as much downtime as I hoped, between my parents and my appointments, and wedding planning duties, but there was time for fun! The hubs and I went to a Cubs game (more on that below) and at the end of the week, went up to the lake!

Sometimes it's fun just to wake up with no plans! Wouldn't you agree?

Looking for the Good Stuff

Throughout my adult life, I've used running to help me through the tough times. When the pandemic hit, and there was nowhere to run, I discovered the trails, both near my house and up in Wisconsin. The trails have become a refuge for me, a place to escape from the heaviness of life and to soak up nature, appreciating the simplicity of listening to birds, watching the deer, and looking for mushrooms. I like to go early in the morning, while it's still peaceful. Instead of feeling fearful about being alone, I savor the solitude. 

Every time I run the trails, I see something new. Nature is always changing, and that keeps things interesting for me. On Wednesday this week, I didn't see any deer and very few mushrooms. But as fall approaches, the sun is a little lower in the sky, and this year we have smoke from the Canadian wildfires, which has kept things interesting, at least from a photographic perspective. Imagine my surprise when I came upon this spot on the main trail! I thought it might make a pretty selfie, so I set up my tripod and used the 10 second timer. I jogged down the trail, waited for the fast flash, and ran towards the camera. One take was all I needed. 

One of my Trail Sisters once commented that I am very observant. When I run on these trails, my head is on a swivel. I'm looking for tree roots on the trail. I'm looking for deer, of course. But while I'm looking around, I spot a lot of good stuff. This year, it was the mushrooms. And sometimes, the good stuff is the angle of the sun on the trail. I always leave these trails feeling content and calm.

What will I see next week? 

Smoke and Heat

Our summer's theme of heat, humidity, and smoke continued this week. Last week's cooler temperatures felt so good, but they were just a minor reprieve. Wednesday's run felt fine despite the smoky skies, but I paid for it later! I've never smoked, but I had chest tightness and a cough after that run. It felt as if I'd smoked a pack of cigarettes. I do love summer, but this year summer has been on fire!

A Break From the Heat

I returned home on Sunday from Alabama and back to the steamy conditions we've been experiencing for most of summer. But by mid-week, cooler, more temperate weather blew in, and it looks like it is here to stay for the foreseeable future. It feels good and dare I say-almost cold compared to what we've been experiencing. But you'll get no complaints from me.

It was also back to work for me and a return to the chaos of 'school physical season' in my office. Every year, we get phone calls from panicked parents who waited until the last minute to schedule their kids' annual physicals. Believe it or not, we are already scheduled through September. That, plus the continued influx of newborns, had me hopping! It's a good problem to have, but I will be glad when the rush is over!

Fun with Friends

It was another hot, steamy week, but for me, a good one, both on and off the road.  My knee, while not completely silent, has been at least cooperative with all my activities. I enjoyed some friend time, running with my Trail Sisters, and spending an extended weekend in Alabama with Holly and Teresa! It's been so much fun, and I'm sharing a brief recap of it all.

Attack of the Deer Flies

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Oh, summer, how I await your arrival! After enduring months of cold weather, with the arrival of warmer temperatures, we Midwesterners are able to strip off all our layers and bask in the sunshine. It's like being at a party you wish would never end.

But every party has a pooper, and summer in the woods comes with a few uninvited guests: stinging insects. The worst offenders? Deer flies. You'd think after dealing with them every year, I'd be prepared for their arrival. But no, the nice weather of spring and early summer gives me amnesia about my past encounters with them. As a child growing up in a rural area of Illinois, my sisters and I would spend our days swimming in the family pool, only to be stung in the head by one or more eagerly awaiting deer flies when we came up for air. I could just imagine them hovering above the water, rubbing their little arms together in anticipation of a tasty meal. I looked back on old blog posts and found that every year at this time, I write about these awful little pests.  

I 'did my own research', aka a Google search on deer flies. Know your enemy and all that. Apparently, there's nothing to deter them, but besides the super spray I use, there are some things I can try. Wearing light colored clothing can help, according to some sources. Multiple trail runners and hikers suggested applying sticky tape to a hat so when they land on your head, they stick to it. Another suggestion is to wear 2 hats--one forward and one backwards, so the brim covers your neck. I have a head net that I bought a few years ago, but I haven't used it. Don't ask me why. The last suggestion was attaching a fake dragonfly to your hat. Apparently, deer flies are afraid of dragonflies. Remember, this was all on Google, so I know it's true. 

I ordered the items from Amazon, so stay tuned for the results! I also learned that they are mostly evil for about 5-6 weeks in late June/July, when they are biting to find blood to feed their eggs. Ewww. I also found a hilarious essay about deer flies HERE. 

Soon they'll be gone and I'll be able to run in the woods without fear of being bitten. Next up...yellow jacket season...

Deer flies enlarged for dramatic effect

So Much Water!

Not only did we have a lot of rain this week, but I also spent a lot of time on the water. I love being on the water, whether I'm in the boat, on a ski, or in my kayak. I was able to do all those things this week!

I also worked on easing my knee back into running--as you might expect, it didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. But I got some good mileage in. The rain didn't keep me inside, although the humidity was off the charts. There was no escaping the water this week!

Back At It!

'One day I won't be able to do this, but today is not that day. Today I fight! ~ origin unclear, but perhaps paraphrased from J.R.R. Tolkien, in The Lord of the Rings. 

I do love a good quote.

Yep, I'm back to running again--slowly and using walk intervals. But it's worth celebrating, am I right? I'm grateful that my injury wasn't worse and that I can get back to doing my favorite thing while I continue to rehab my knee. 

Answers? I Got Answers!

Yes, I got my answers this week to what was going on with my knee, as well as my treatment plan. Meanwhile, with my activity modifications, the pain calmed down to almost no pain--except when I did too much. I mean, 'too much' according to my knee. When my knee starts to bother me, I pull on my compression sleeve, which helps quite a bit. Hopefully, I'll be back to running soon. 

I runfess: It's too hot to run anyway. 

For the past couple of weeks, the temperatures have been in the 90F/30Cs with high humidity. The real feel has been over 100F/40C. It's just gross. It feels as if we are living in the tropics instead of the Midwest. We're not used to this!