Maybe I can get a run in.

Today, although not very active physically, I sure did give my credit card a workout getting the plans together for the Half-Iron. Between the hotel, car rental, flights, bike transport and the race registration I paid previously, I think I'm about $2g into this little adventure. Holy Shit! Spending two grand for a vacation that is bound to have me in tears in some respect or other, wow, I didn't think I would ever be looking forward to something like this. I am so excited for this race! I love having something to train for, and the full reality of what I need to do has hit me full on today.

In that spirit, I decided last minute to sneak in a run between work and dinner. My awesome husband picked up Dusty from daycare so I could head straight home to get ready. Even though I didn't have to stop at daycare, it still took me 45 minutes to get ready. Ridiculous. When I finally did get the baby's diaper changed, a few cuddles, water bottles for me, Dusty and the dog, strap the baby in the stroller, collar the dog and find some podcast to listen to, I was only able to muster up a 3.5 mile run. It was still really hot out and yesterday's 40-mile ride really did me in. Oof.

Euflexxa, I flexxa!

While I was training for The Marine Corps Marathon in 2011, I developed a lot of pain in my knees. I went to a knee and hip specialist, and persona friend, Dr. Brad Crow, who did some X-rays and let me know that I had some pretty bad arthritis in my knees. I always knew my knees where bad, they run in the family, but to have a diagnosis of arthritis was honestly a bit sad. Arthritis! It's for Old People. At the time, I was on the cusp of 40, so I didn't think I qualified as Old People.

At the time, Dr. Brad gave me steroids in my knee so that I could finish my training and run the race. After the race, I went through six weeks of twice weekly physically therapy to get myself on the mend. Then, I was trying to get pregnant and wasn't trying to push myself so hard. And then pregnancy, then months of months of learning how to take care of the thing. I didn't get around to running until March of this year. After more than a year of not running I thought the knee may have healed or repaired itself or something, but no such luck.

To help my knees out this time, Dr. Brad recommended Euflexxa for my knees {www.euflexxa.com/}. It's a series of three shots, one week apart, that have the same result as steroid shots but should last longer. I should only need to get the shots once a year.

Here's a pic of me getting the last of my three shots from Dr. Brad's wife, Emily, who's also pretty damn smart about knees and hips. Also some pics of my crap knees. These are from two years ago, I can only imagine how much worse they are now.