Non-technical Explanation

I'm basically recovered from the tumble yesterday, except for my right index finger.  I decided to go to boot camp this morning (just because I'm bruised, I still need to get some activity in, and the plan tonight is just a few easy social run miles).  Mild problems on only a few things -- holding a kettlebell, and then doing burpees and push-ups (the only things we had to do using our wrists, palms on the ground).  My palm is kind of oozing (disgusting, I know) and it seeped through the bandage a little, but didn't really hurt too much.  But my right index finger is really swollen and fairly painful.  We were doing a bunch of short runs between sets of exercises.  I skipped one short run and talked to the trainer.

Not that he's a medical doctor or anything, but he's a former Olympian and that makes me just assume he knows a bit about injuries.  He looked at it, the swelling, tapped it in a few places, etc.  His non-technical explanation:  he thinks I "jammed" my finger.

So same recommendation as what I'd guessed for a sprain -- ice it. 

I considered trying to tape or immobilize it, but it's kind of important that I can type for my job.  I suppose I could dictate stuff but wow, my secretary would hate me. 

So I think I've survived the fall.  Bruises, scrapes, and a jammed finger.  If I'm ready for work early today, I'm going to drive by the scene and take a picture to share. 

11 days to marathon now!  At camp this morning there were several "toys."  Most days we do body weight exercises and occasionally use dumbells.  Today, we worked through stations:

kettlebells
jump rope
ankle straps that we used to shuffle, then burpees
run with 50 pound sandbag
run pulling tire, then backward run pulling tire
20 pound weighted vest hill runs and jump squats
little 12 inch hurdle jumps followed by star jumps
duck walk with a bar followed by shoulder presses
resistance band curls and shoulder presses

I think I'm missing the second thing we did, but I'm drawing a blank.

Anyway, the three exercises with weight (carrying the sandbag, pulling the tire, and wearing the weight vest), felt great for me.  The weight vest was almost a joke -- so much lighter than what I'm used to!  That was actually a bit of a mental boost, which is nice -- and needed. 

When I recently went through the class to become a certified running coach, one of the things we learned was about how an athlete's mental training should occur throughout a training cycle, not just during the taper phase, which is what most marathoners tend to do.  It's kind of too late for me to do that with this marathon.  And even if it weren't too late, I feel like it would be tough for this one.  Sure, I'm proud of myself for doing all this running while carrying weight, but in reality, I can't train for the mountain or the sand, and I haven't done many long runs with the weight, and even less time with the pack.  So I'm going into the race not as prepared as others will be, but I do think it should be enough for me to get the job done.  The job here, of course, being my goal of just finishing.  But it was nice to feel good today at boot camp, like the weight was easy and no big shock to my body.  I might be more prepared than I think I am.  Or not.  Guess we'll know in 11 days!!