Catching Up

I normally do these types of posts on Monday's, but decided to post it today instead because it works out better for me playing catch up.
Plus, I won't be doing a Monday post next week, so if figured today is as good of day as any:)
I have so many updates to share, and I am seriously excited about several of them.  I'm sorry, that this post is so long, feel free to just skim it all, LOL.

One of the views from my mountain running

WORK INJURIES W/ THE TENDONS
Okay, so a couple of weeks ago I was debating on whether to keep my Dr. Appt for the 2nd foot problems.  I had problems for 3 months, and it took me almost two months to get in to the Specialist.  The fact that I had been out of pain for 2 weeks I decided to call the Specialist and not cancel but reschedule.  I figure this worked for me both ways.  No point in going now if there isn't pain, but if as I started becoming active again if the pain comes back, I already have an appointment scheduled.
Now almost two weeks later, best decision I could have made!

Another view on my mountain running route

UPDATES ON ALL INJURIES 
FINALLY, after 18 months of pain.  19 marathons having to be cancelled and about 1 year off running and cardio entirely.  I am finally healing fabulously!  I want to say that on a scale of 100, I am at 90% healed and healing more and more each week.

Lft Foot, Original Peroneal and Achillies tendon injuries (work injury), only mild swelling remains and rarely have any pain.

Rt Foot (became injured after taking too much strain from the other long injury, injury (my guess is Nerve Entrapment) is pretty much healed.  It hasn't bothered me and has responded perfectly to the therapy I have been doing.

Another view from my running route.

Hip Flexor (running related) - Anyone who has ever torn their hip flexor knows how it feels to feel like your leg and groan area are being torn apart with every step.  This being my 2nd time with this injury I attacked it day 1.  By 2 weeks I was 80% healed, and by 3 weeks, I want to say 99% healed.  I only say that because it's good to be cautious for a while.
I also found out the reason I was having problems in the first place was stretching early on in workouts, I have cut that out.  I'm going back to only stretching after a workout and never before, just getting into a workout gradual for the warm up.  Everyone is different, but this is what works best for my body, I honestly don't know why I switched that up and started doing that again in the first place:)  Guess I like to learn my lesson's over and over and over again:)

My early morning running trail

CAMPING
Possibly you noticed I wasn't blogging much, and was unable to respond to comments for a while, I apologize I wouldn't have pre-scheduled all my posts if I had known I would be leaving.

Spur of the moment a week ago Sunday I decided to wake up early Monday morning and go with my parents to see if we could find a spot to camp.  (I am single, so yes I go camping with my parents, but they are active and awesome so it's fun!)
We found the exact spot we wanted, and it was vacant.  So we paid for it, drove back home and packed up and headed back up.

We went camping for 7 1/2 days and boy did I need it!
I literally packed for this trip in about 15 minutes, I think that is a record for me.  Of course I did spend about 45 minutes at the grocery store too, but I don't count that:)
It was a great week, relaxed, read a few great books.  Went running almost every day, and hiking.
Yes, I slept in a tent.  But my parents own 5th wheel trailer so thankfully I can take advantage of a daily shower after a long hike or workout:)
I'm already looking forward to the next time I can go camping and I have one coming up pretty soon!

View on one of my hiking trails over the past week

HIKING
This gets its own section.  So for several years I had been wanting to take this hike up to a beautiful place called Blanche Lake in the Wasatch Mountains.  But in 2011 & 2012 when I heard about it I couldn't do it because I was running marathons, and I don't do strenuous hikes that could risk injury when I have marathons in the works.
Last year I couldn't do it, because well injured....
So I asked my dad, if he would go with me this past week, and he of course said yes.  So we headed out Saturday morning.

I'm actually going to do a "Hiking Tuesday" post on it, so I won't go into detail.  But the first 3 miles you are hiking steadily up in elevation not quite a 3,000 feet elevation climb.  You never loose any elevation it's just a constant climb up the entire time to about 9,000 feet.  Sheesh did it tell me I was out of shape:)  I won't lie, we stopped often to catch our breath before climbing up more again.

Taking a rest at the top.

Then when you come back you get all downhill.  (That is the hard part.  LOL)

For body not quite in its best shape, lets just say that afternoon my legs were Jello, and I haven't been this sore since my last mountain marathon LOL.
It is awesome to be so sore, I feel so flipping alive again I LOVE IT!!!!
I know that sounds dorky, but I have been singing that tune to everyone I talk to for a few days now and I don't even care I'm going to keep on loving it!!!

I didn't think my Hip Flexor would last, but I was careful and the fact that it let me climb 3,000 feet and not tear in worse pain, made me realize thing sucker is all but healed!
It gave my achillies and peroneal tendons a crazy workout too.  I've been working super hard the past few months strengthening these, and boy did it pay off.  I didn't get any additional swelling or pain from all that climbing and pulling on the tendons, pretty cool huh!

By the end of the day all said and done, I had done 11.5 miles.  Yeah, no kidding, no wonder I could barely walk the next day!  I think back to the days where I used to run a 20 miler in the morning just to get the day going and I wouldn't be sore from it.  Well it just goes to show how much work I have cut out for me to slowly get built back up to that!

Isn't it beautiful?  The view from the top looking at Lake Blanche
and the mountain in the back is called Sundial.

RUNNING & WORKOUTS
Saved this baby for last:) because I am so thrilled to be back!!!!
Being up camping, all of my running/walking was done between 8500 - 9000 feet in elevation.  Which basically meant, it gives my lungs a much better workout.  What better way to get back into running!

I hit up some of my favorite hilly mountain trail (paved) area's.
I haven't run on these hilly trails (7%-15% grades) in a few years, it was amazing to get back on them. These are the trails I normally used in years past to help break my lungs in better when I am boosting my mileage.  But in this instance a great place to get back into it.

7/21 - 4 Miles (1 mile ran) 11,408 daily steps - 19 floors climbed
7/22 - 5 Miles (1.5 Miles ran) 12,300 daily steps - 49 floors climbed
7/23 - 3 Miles (2 miles ran) 10,217 daily steps - 42 floors climbed
7/24 - 1 Mile Walk Rest Day
7/25 - 6 Miles (run/walk) 15,092 daily steps - 68 floors climbed
7/26 - 11.55 Miles (hiked) 27,650 daily steps - 271 floors climbed
7/27 - 1 Mile walk - Rest Day
7/28 - 4 Miles (1.5 miles ran) 9,787 daily steps - 36 floors climbed - Took it easy, run and walk were light to loosen the sore muscles.
-Vacation Over, but I am keeping up the new fitness routines at home!- 

Another view from my hike looking back down from the canyon
where we started hiking.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Well, I am going to be playing it super cautious for a while.  As soon as I can go 2 months without worsening injuries, or any pain then I will consider myself healed.
Yes, I will be running.  In fact I will be gradually increasing my weekly mileage each week.  Right now my days consist of 50/50ish run/walk so I can get a 75 min workout in minimum.  However, as I get in better shape I'll transition the walking into all running, and then eventually start to increase the daily mileage.
I'm hoping if everything goes as planned by September I'll be up to 5-6 miles each day.
I do have more trips planned, and I have lots and lots of more hiking planned.  In fact there are a few more hikes here in Utah that I put off in previous years because I was training for marathons.  That this summer seems like it will be the perfect time to get them in!

Hope everyone else has been having a good summer!
Injury free, or injuries healing!!!
Do you hike?  Do you have any fun hikes planned for the summer, or weekends?