The Stubborn Tortoise

I had a great time volunteering on Saturday at the inaugural Great Springs Trail race in San Marcos. I was the person handing out medals. We got to witness the annualar solar eclipse and everyone finished! Good times.

Switching gears....I had an annual physical the other day and it triggered my eating disorder issues, big time. I was deemed "overweight," according to the BMI (my height is wrong and I was wearing more clothes than the last time.) The nurse-practitioner wanted to up certain drugs for cholesterol and blood pressure. No heed given to my thyroid being removed in 2015 and that I have been on the same dosage of synthetic thyroid since then. (narrator's voice: I think I should be on a higher dose, but my lab numbers are considered "fine.") I explained that I was concerned about post-menopausal weight gain and body changes, despite hard workouts, lifting weights and doing functional training and eating mainly plant-based. My words were ignored. Instead, she suggested that I go on one of these diet drugs that have become so popular. She said I would need to check with my insurance company to see what would be covered, and that the co-pay would be the equivalent of a steak dinner with wine.

I went into a tailspin. I still am. I have never been overweight, except for when I was 10 and a growth spurt slowed, so I eventually turned toward disordered eating.

Menopause is a bitch. I was spared most of the symptoms, but the shifting weight has killed my sense of self. I still feel like me, but when I see photos of myself or catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I want to die.

I have a lot of friends in the same boat, so that sort of helps.

It's just infuriating that when men can't get an erection, they're offered all sorts of options. Women, when dealing with a loss of estrogen are told to eat less and buy bigger clothes.

This can't be the way it should be.

This is a little heavy, but it comes from the heart.

I'm still only running very little once a week, but am optimistic this will gradually increase now that the torrid heat has left for the season -- I hope. I look back on captaining an aid station after its anniversary popped up in my FB memories last week. Oh, and I managed to lock myself out of FB for two, long days after attempting to publish last week's episode, which ended up being deleted by me. This coming weekend, I'll be at an aid station at the new Great Springs half in San Marcos. Looking forward to that. Oh, and last week, a song on my playlist made me smile during a run and I feature it at the end of this episode, instead of the usual outtro. Hopefully, I won't get thrown in the penalty box for this.

Whee! This week, I reflect on my second time as an AS captain at J&J as I meld my buds from the RGV with SA. I also talk about my cat colony and its successes and sadnesses. Finally, I talk about how Mama Cass' song, "Make Your Own Kind of Music," resonated with me at the end of a run. I may be back. I think so. I hope so. :)

I discovered over the weekend that while I can lop branches from cedar trees, doing so in almost 100-degree heat with little shade is not my thing. I learned a few things and enjoyed myself, but once I became overheated, I realized I'm better off serving up drinks and sandwiches and encouragement at aid stations. It's a good discovery to make and it taught me to respect my limits.

It's coming up on the nine-year anniversary of my first 20-miler, with my friend, Orly (aka Hundo). I look back on that experience and talk about the importance of having another person to mentally help you get through something hard. I've mentally Sherpa'd a couple of friends through 100-milers (doing a 20-mile or 31-mile segment -- usually in the middle of the night because I'm a talker.) There are also times, though, when you need to decide if someone you run with at a race needs your help or whether you need to run your own race. Sometimes, it's good to help someone through. Other times, you can give yourself the permission to run your own race.

Also, looking ahead to next weekend, I'll be heading up to Hill Country SNA (aka: Bandera) to help the folks at Tejas Trails build and maintain trails. I'm not especially handy but I do have a sweet set of Fiskars limb cutters (which I employed this morning after discovering that a HUGE tree part was in my side yard.) We'll be camping and eating and running/hiking at one of the most beautiful places in Texas.)

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I didn't have a ton to talk about and then it hit me: why not share my Top 10 favorite places to run trails in Texas? This is highly subjective and limited to my experience. Hint: I'm not a huge fan of those gnarly, super-technical courses, so don't come at me.

The majority of these places are venues patronized by Tejas Trails races. BUT, there are a handful of small, San Antonio parks and some obscure spots that aren't on a map in the Rio Grande Valley. (From Mission to Sullivan City to outside of Rio Grande City.)

I count 'em down in reverse order, like any awards show. Ha ha.

Yes, there are places I still want to run: Big Bend and maybe some others in West Texas.

Julie Haynes was having pain and sought help from her doctor.

"Just don't run," was the advice.

Haynes, like a lot of women, hear this sort of thing more often than we'd like. I've had a chiropractor mutter, "We'll see," when I mentioned that I wanted to run again. And, of course, there was a recent incident with an X-ray technician who pointedly and judgmentally wondered aloud if I "really" was a runner or if I'd just overdone it.

Haynes and I talk about this topic at some length. I went on a bit of a chat with her about my feral cat colony that I share with my neighbors.

Still, it is a conversation worth having and listening to.

I found this story from the New York Times that addresses this topic. (Women not being taken seriously by their doctors, not feral cat colonies.)

Liz Casa Perez is sort of infamous in the Trail Racing Over Texas community because she occasionally puts up a canopy emblazoned, "You Are Not Alone."

She is also an accomplished ultrarunner, who currently lives in Victoria, Texas and loves the 100K distance. She recently attempted the 100M race at Habanero Hundred, but did not finish. Still, she is undeterred and ready to tackle it next year.

I missed going to Habanero Hundred last weekend because two Interstates were closed and traffic was being funneled onto service roads, creating a ridiculous backlog of traffic. I was already cutting it close to arriving on time -- my theory is I didn't want to get there too early and then be stuck hanging around in the heat. When it became clear I would miss the start by over 30 minutes and maybe an hour, I turned around and went home.

In retrospect, it might have been fate sparing me a DNF because people were dropping out of the race because of the extreme heat. As it was, seven people didn't finish the 10K, so that tells you something.

In other news, I picked up a new phrase that describes what I do: Hogging. It's a combination of hiking and jogging. I rather like it.

Things have been progressing regarding my stiff, injured left hip. Physical therapy is making a difference. (shoutout to Optimum Physio Sports) for being the one place that has accurately addressed my dang issue. I've been through another PT program that is famous and starts with an "A," along with a buncha sessions with chiropractors. The truth is, none of them solved the issue until now.

I go in twice a week and these folks put me through my paces: hip lift circles, bridges and much more. I count those days as a workout because, hey, I sweat and it's HARD.

Still, it is useful and the therapists are empathetic when I tell them that I love 50Ks and have tackled 50 milers and 100ks.

Today (Sunday), I managed to run a mile without stopping, which is HUGE. I didn't get winded or need to sit down somewhere.

I hope this lasts because I am sooooo ready to return to my Happy Place: trail running.

Photo: me and Maria, my friend, beating the Lady in Blue at a 10 K a coupla years ago. :)