Operation Sparkle: Battling the Elements...

And Body parts I didn't even know existed. That should be the rest of this title.

First the elements. Two weeks ago, it rained ALOT here in Texas. Which let me tell you, is a welcome thing. Except that it, like, flash flooded. Which left lots of standing water around town. Which allowed for the breeding of Nature's own F-You to summer...MOSQUITOES.

Tuesday I went out for my 30 minute, 2.5 mile run and came home with about 9 mosquito bites. I thought I was dying that night. So Wednesday I went on a new natural mosquito repellant regiment. So far, it appears to be working and if it continues this way, I'll be sure to write about it in the future.

Saturday, I was due to run 9.5 miles. I didn't get started until about a half hour later than normal and after about an hour and a half, I had to call it quits after only 5 miles. It was hot. I was super slow. I was walking most of it. And I wasn't happy. I knew continuing was futile. So I went home and felt a bit crappy for the rest of the day. Then Sunday I went out, got my 4 miles in at a more normal time and thanked the gods for cloud cover.

But then yesterday, I was having some pretty bad knee pain. Turns out, I've apparently strained my IT band with the consecutive runs. Which is a part of my body I didn't even know existed until yesterday when Catie suggested that that's what it was.

So I went to WalMart and got a roller and a stretching rope and let me tell you...stretching has made it hurt soooooo good. To be safe, I skipped my maintenance run this morning. I hated to do it, but I know that injuring myself further would be worse than missing one maintenance run.

A week from tomorrow is registration day for Princess weekend. And at this point, injury is my worst fear. Hope with me that I can continue stretching my IT band and get back at it.

I've got a 4 mile run Saturday. Hopefully I'm at least back at it by then.