1) You ride. Or if you happen to be in the Pacific Northwest during April showers... you ride the trainer while watching Paris-Nice. Then on the gorgeous week-end, you ride two days in a row. Including a pre-ride of the Kings Valley course for next week-end's race. I have a bone to pick with this race. Last year I was hanging with the lead pack in the final lap when I made the biggest rookie move, dropping my chain on an uphill while trying to shift. I was forced to time-trial my way to the finish line... Nevermore!
2) You volunteer. I had been planning to run a half marathon in Portland with members of the HOTV runner's club. But, the no-running-especially-on-concrete problem put the kabash on my plans. Instead, I threw myself into volunteering at the Beaver Freezer. I set-up the door-prize give-aways that all of the race sponsors had generously donated to. Someone gave me a megaphone (oh baby), and I made periodic announcements in the transition area. I also got to do the awards ceremony... announcing all the winners, winning times, thank-yous. It was one of my most favorite volunteer jobs ever!
3) You torture yourself. Besides going through two rounds of foot/calf only massage from Meghan (one more on the way), I've rigorously attacked that stubborn ligament with Aleve, ice, stretching (check out my homemade slant board made from $2.50 worth of materials from Home Depot), and self-massage (both the highly marketed... The Stick... and the not... two golf balls taped together to roll my foot over). You know I actually met The Stick Guy at Pacific Crest last year... he's very good with his stick ;-).
And it's working. I'll be running by this week-end, and I got in a few good karma points for the volunteering!
Ooooh. Golf balls. Now that sounds like some good torture.
ReplyDeleteWay to make lemonade while being pitched lemons. Good on ya.