healing hand and ego

So in preparation for the 5 mile 'Run for the Egg' I was supposed to do this morning, I have been training extra hard this week. Last Sunday we ran a 5K, I ran 4.2 miles at work on Monday and 5.1 miles after work on Wednesday. It was our first 'hot' day. It was 80+ when I ran and for all the winter running I have done, nothing could have prepared me for the heat. But if this day had been in late July we would have been celebrating its pleasantness but in March, it was just hot. Right before the 3 mile mark I stopped at our friend's, Greg and Dani, house for a glass of water. I may have freaked them out a bit panting at their door... can.... i .... have.... a .... glass .... of ..... water? .... it.... is..... really....hot....out.... I was going to stop at my bosom friend Ali's house which is two blocks away from Dani's but I know I would have collapsed on her floor and begged her to drive me home. I knew I would have more 'self control' at Dani's just to get water and keep going. So keep going I did. 3 miles, 4 miles, and I am about to make the turn for home. I am getting really tired at this point and not picking up my feet like I should; I catch my toe on an uneven part of the sidewalk and totally sprawl out. I break my fall with my R hand and now I'm bleeding and bruised and covered in dirt and leaves. I am laying on the grass shoulder between the sidewalk and the road with my mind alternating between 'i wonder why no one is stopping to help' and 'oh please let no one stop to help, it is too embarrassing'. I was luckily on a side street so no cars passed me by as I am laid out. I am still over a mile from home. I got up, brushed the dried season old leaves off me the best I could, braced my sore, throbbing, bloody hand and started off again. Up Court Street hill, left on Summit and home I arrived. Bill was sympathetic getting me ice and ibuprofen and commiserating that he has caught his toe plenty of times and almost fallen. To that, Gabby chimes in, 'who falls when they run? seriously?'. Always helpful at age 15. Well that was Wednesday, I have some healing road rash on my hand and a bruise on my palm. My shoulder is sore. My bruised ego is quickly repairing itself. I am very grateful I didn't hurt myself any more than I did.

Here is a shot of my hand today

the bruise doesn't show up well
as the west side-east side-north corridor debate continues to rage in the school board and in the papers, I wouldn't trade my east side uneven, in need of repair sidewalks for any double wide smooth bike/running trails they have on 'that' side of town :-) even with healing road rash and ego.