I'm wondering if anyone may know of any accountants who are also runners?  They don't even have to be local?  Anyone..anyone?? 

Will we be running in SNOW on Sunday?  That would be awesome!!! 

Ok...as a runner and very healthy person in general, I rarely get sick...maybe one cold a year and that is normally super short and easy without disruption to my routines.

Something entered my body last week and has decided to be uncooperative and stay awhile....it's just a bit too reminicint of something unique and disruptive that got in my system about 8 years ago and refused to leave for 1 month and it took me 3 more to get my energy back! I spent three days in the hospital getting steriods and antibiotics and got shots for like a month of some really potent antibiotic because this thing refused to leave my tonsil.

As I was running faster than normal and breathing in and out more heavily than normal on Wednesday at Hawk Ridge, I felt my left tonsil being irritated. A few weeks earlier I had something like this happpen and it was no big deal, it hurt for like a day and I was fine. This time, I woke up on Thursday and my tonsil was really swollen and sore. I felt fine except for that one spot. I took some vitamin "I" on and off all day and hoped it would go away. Friday morning I woke up and it was 100% worse, so large I gagged each time I tried to sit up because of that thingy in the back of the throat. It was exactly like what had happened to me 8 years ago...so I called the doctor and was told to go in to the ER...first visit in Duluth for me...at least without my old foster daughter who frequented the place.

Unlike Shane's long wait, I had a short one and an even shorter visit by the doc...I am guessing maybe 90 seconds tops?? The doc simply looked at my tonsil and tried to leave speaking some large words at me and telling me to take what he prescribed. I tried to ask him some questions like "are you going to take blood"? And he was almost out the curtain already clearly not interested in spending any more time with me...I guess since I was able to speak and not bleeding nor broken my priority was very low.

Because I'm like an orphan up here with family living in 4 different time zones, I had to find a ride to the ER and then a different one back from friends I know who do not work full time during the day. When I tried to get a ride back home, the Verizon network was down and I was not able to reach anyone for an hour! During my entire time at the ER, I laid on a bed without even a blanket...I was so dehydrated from not eating or drinking much, was weak, etc and never offered anything over 3 hours! Oh well...

So....now it's Monday...my infected tonsil is not quite as large as it was, my energy is still incredibly low, this THING is still refusing to leave my body! I'm a runner, I'm a super high energy person, it needs to leave! This is the longest period of time I have gone without running since my double knee surgery five years ago! I'm going to see someone Wednesday who is an athlete and a specialist hoping he can help me figure out what this infection is and how to rid it from my body if it is still inhabiting my system then.

I spent all day and night on the couch/bed Friday...most of Saturday except when I had to get myself some soup and popsicles to eat, most of Sunday and a lot of today! I did try to ride my exercise bike for like 15 minutes today and was totally wiped afterwards! I wonder if lazy people who lay on the couch all the time and never exercise would have a problem laying on the couch as long as I have...it's been torture for me!

Sometimes I wonder if it's the laying around that makes me less energetic or the infection...?? I know the more I lay around the lazier I get sometimes...it's so hard to tell! Or is it because I've had no appetite and been eating very little just drinking a lot, maybe I should switch to alcohol??

Can you tell I'm a wimp and not used to being laid up? I do know when to watch Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal and Wife Swap during the day though! I also made up a really good dish...cauliflower and potatoes...boil them, put cheese and butter and garlic salt in...they are very tasty!

Ok...this zapped me...gotta lay down again...this sucks!! Thanks for reading my whining! I'd rather be running!

What a beautiful night at Hawk Ridge! Today I actually warmed up and the uphill on the road was incredibly much more pleasant than it was last year! I actually ran the whole uphill thing for the most part and it wasn't bad! I was still sore from holding back Laambeaux on the downhills of the Grand Traverse and just ran through it all...this is such a fun fast course...just a wee bit messy today!

A couple of highlights for those who missed them...dang why did I pick this week to forget the camera and where was the Northland runner photo guy when you needed him!!! The muddy finish line proved to be quite the slip and slide for a couple graceful runners. One young man slid on one foot and proceeded to fall down and slide some more on either his back or stomach, then turned around and slid on whatever he had just not slid on...he got pretty coated with mud! I moved back to help direct people to me and away from the mud with the hopes that no others would have the mud bath, (even though it was quite amusing to watch) and one more still did the mudslide and coated his body!

For those who are incredibly focused on running...and those who just have failed to notice...there is one extremely creative gent in our running pack who dresses in a different "costume" each week! One week he was a sailor I believe, last week he was something...I can't quite remember, this week he was superman, with a "cape" and some really awesome ski goggles...anyone see him?? He had on a home made neon green cape and he ran with those goggles on over his glasses! Watch for Luke next race to see what creative get up he will come up with!

Two records were broken again! Matt Kramer broke the men's record and Jen Houck the women's! Way to go both of you!!! The only way those Kramer records will be broken is when he and Liz create offspring and they break them!

Hartley...my goal...not get lost!!!

Oh yeah, almost forgot the wolf warning...check out the front page of  skinnyski.com, there is an artice written by Michelle Flannagan-Haag about a VERY scary local wolf pack encounter she recently had in the woods with her dog at dusk!

The weather was absolutely picture perfect for the Grand Traverse today!! I only did the 10.2 which is really 11 because we have to go further...and it was awesome!

The Superior Hiking trail was marked a ton better than last year by the SHT's hard volunteer work. Last year we were lost many times and the thick fog made it challenging to even see the next tree and a possible blue marking!

With the bright sunshine, vibrant fall colors, temperatures in the middle 50's and a dry trail, what more could we have asked for!?

We decided to start at 9:30 instead of 8:20 this year to avoid being lost and were happy we did that. Last year we had to wait for those behind us quite a few times to ask where we were supposed to go. We were in the front of everyone and not qualified to lead! This year it was nice to have people pass us every now and then so we knew we were going the right way!

Fairly early in our jaunt two who were doing the 27 passed us. Dusty came flying past us...just having a nice jog for him...he had already been lost, taken in the views and used a real toilet! Michael Koppy came past us awhile after Dusty, then no one for many miles!

Randy B. felt the distance was too short, so he passed us three times late in the event while creating his own course...he even took another runner with him on at least one of his extra legs!

It was nice to get to the rail road area and not have the blasting cold headwind we had last year that locked up our quads...it was a pleasant experience all around with much beauty to take in! Lots of food to take in and good door prizes!

Midnight Sun does an outstanding job of putting events on...if you are still a "Midnight Sun" event "virgin"...try their next event!

I did not have my camera with me, rumor has it Shane took his and hopefully he will share the beauty with all of you so more people can take it in next year! 

Ok...my ankles are fine and the upper parts of my lower leg on the sides feel like they are still pretty dang pulled!  I have rolled my ankles many times over the years ...normally the sides of my legs hurt for like a day and I guess doing it over 10 times or more each side did a "number" on them!

My question is this!  I ran today and tried to tape my foot/ankle the old fashioned way on one leg and wore a mini ankle brace on the other.  I also taped the upper portion where they hurt.  My calves are so muscley that it kinda wasn't a good feeling to have the tops taped.

I'm wondering if I just tape above my shoe and up about 6 inches, if that will prevent me from rolling tomorrow at Chester??  I just need the extra support.  Do I tape with medical tape or elastic?  Or should I tape the foot/ankle?  Do I tape higher?  I normally am the one who knows these answers...I just can't quite get this one!  I AM running tomorrow..just want to do it as safely as possible...

Lisa...you probably know this one!  Anyone else??  

Thanks ahead of time!!