Winter Solstice begins tonight at 11:30 pm. So what did we do to celebrate? We ran. What is my favorite way to celebrate any occasion? Running and drinking. I ran with the F’N Running Club then they went to the bar and drank. At least it was 50/50 success ratio for me and the “celebration”.
Tonight/Tomorrow marks the climb up OUT OF THE DARKNESS toward daylight and spring. The shortest day of 2011 will soon be in the done column and I’m happy about it. Although it has yet to get cold and nasty in the CHI, and we have not had any snow, the darkness just lingers. In fact, according to the numbers we currently have 6 hours and 6 minutes LESS daylight than during the Summer Solstice in June. It certainly is nice to think about June right now but the current reality is darkness. Most of us get up, go to work and come home in darkness. Unless you are retired, or a SAHM with an awesome friend/family member to help out with the kiddos, most of your runs have been in the dark. I hope you broke down and bought the KnuckleLights or goaded someone into buying them for you for Christmas!
Most of the F’N Running Club does have KnuckleLights, head-lamps, flashers/blinkers, etc. now for safety so we were back at it tonight for our usual Wednesday Night Run. We tried to make it a Christmas Run but not everyone had festive attire. That’s okay, 8 people showed up to run in the dark…… Me, Susan, Jeni, Brian P., Kathy, Vera & Maggie. 
I picked up those festive socks for $5 at Target. Lots of different styles!
Brian F., Jeni, Susan, Brian P., Kathy, & Vera
The group ran between 3 and 5 miles and then headed to the bar at varying paces. We really enjoyed our visitor from Boston, Vera, who is a long time friend of Maggie‘s. Had to get a pic of them together. Those long-lasting friendships tear me up really rock! Love the hat too, Vera!
4.0 miles – 34:51 for me, no stops other than for traffic at road crossings. This will be my last run until the NYE 5K in Matteson. I have decided that it’s in my best interest to give my right foot a rest. Although the orthotics and cortisone shot have done wonders in eliminating the heel pain, I have noticed now that the heel pain is gone I also have some other issues. The outer bone on my right foot is shooting pain when I walk or run. Although it probably didn’t help that I fell down the stairs with Michael in the dark on FRI this is a set back, I need some time off to evaluate if this is just an aggravation in conjunction with Plantar Fasciitis or if it is something independent. So, no running til NYE, then we will see how the foot fairs after a fast 5K…..at least I hope it’s kinda fast.
Think happy thoughts for me and my bum foot! I shall return. Big things for 2012 and I want to be healthy.
Cheers! Amanda – TooTallFritz
TooTallFritz 
Awesome run tonight! Thanks for the pics! Hope your foot feels better! Merry Christmas! See you at Dash into the New Year!
Merry Christmas, Maggie! I’m loving your friend Vera too! I’m going to see if she will accept me as a FB friend so maybe I can “stalk” her Boston Training. :o)
TTF…Ya…U all have good time “F’N” running! Keep it up ya all…doing good!
Ya…gonna order some Knuckle Lights this week in fact. Sold on them! Good job reporting on them.
Ya…your injuries with plantar and heel pain…all connected…see my post on my FB page about “Observation” and take it however it affects ya. But…my conclusion….plantar not an issue just with foot…but in every muscle connection up to the hip. And…the source of pain…not always the source of trauma…if that makes sense. Stress in other muscles-tendons-fascia leads to issues elsewhere that manifest themselves as “pain.” But…one has to treat the problem comprehensively….I think…I believe…just need to get some expert doctors and therapists to support me on this.
Pain is the symptom…the cause can be elsewhere. Gotta think of it that way….Yes?
No more “Master of Puppets” in this run-game! Ya…ya…ya…
peace-n-love
It was a GREAT run tonight! I will definitely have to see what fun gear I can find the sugar cookie shuffle!
Thanks for coming out! So fun to see a nice sized group!
I totally agree, Frogger. I honestly believe that all my issues are related to giving birth to Michael. When I came back from the pregnancy/birth I had a lot of tightness in my hips, quads & hammies. In fact, I pulled something quad related in my first 2010 speed session after Michael….which ended speed sessions. Then I had a big issue with hips and had to do Muscle Activation in March/April 2011, then it wasn’t long before the PF popped up. I do think its all related and that the area of pain isn’t necessarily the real problem area.
For myself, I also had some added “stressors”: 1) Michael dropped the bowl on my ankle 2 weeks ago that popped a big goose egg and was tender for quite a while, then 2) I fell down the stairs with him on FRI during the nighttime (I can’t see anything at night and our stairs are steep….I normally won’t carry him down at night unless it’s really necessary but he was super upset and crying) and of course, I managed to damage the same ankle, almost same spot immediately popped a big goose egg on the front of the ankle. I did ice it immediately even though it was 2am FRI night/SAT morn but now it is very bruised. So I think these things may also be causing some issues with my foot pain. It’s a real bummer too cuz my heels feel good for the first time since Spring 2011. Who knows if the cortisone shot will wear off in a couple of weeks and I’ll be right back in the same situation but I’m enjoying pain free heels for now……just need to get the other foot pain cleared too.
Running than drinking! Sounds like a plan.
knuckle lights are on my xmas list but so are about 10 other running things…let’s see what I get! Otherwise, I may break down and buy them myself!
I like this weblog very much, Its a rattling nice place to read and get information. “Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children.” by George Bernard Shaw.
Pingback: Newsflash: Ultrarunners are fast. | MagMileRunner