Roxy training diary month 67

December 2008

Dec 26. Lots of snow here, and with Roxy laid up on the injured reserve list, everyone is going stir-crazy.

Sky needs time with his ball outside. He keeps wanting to take his crab toy out, but Rosemary won't let him, for fear we won't see it again until April when the snow finally melts. We can't find the exact crab toy he loves, so we ordered this one instead.

Roxy had an appointment to see Dr. Pam today, for another shock wave treatment for her carpal tendon. Unfortunately, the machine was out of shocks. Still, Dr. Pam examined Roxy and was surprised at how well she had healed. Her paw flexes to about 45°, which is down from 90°, but still less than the 30°-35° she needs to be completely okay. Also, there's no popping when the paw is flexed, so it's all good.

Just 13½ miles to go to complete my 1000 miles for the year, and I'm doing it on the treadmill. That's boring as bat guano, but there's nothing to be done for it since the roads are almost impassable for cars, and I really don't want to be taken out by a skidding wahoo. Just getting to the gym is adventure enough for now. The school gym is closed, so I bought a pass at the Ogden Athletic Club and I'm "running" there. I seem to trip at least once every time I run on the treadmill, usually from trying to watch something on TV while I run. As long as I keep looking down at my feet or straight ahead, it's okay. Also, it drives me nuts not being able to run faster (or slower) any time I want.

Dec 16. Yesterday, I had my first-ever colonoscopy, which is one of the "benefits" of turning 50. I had threatened to put the video up on YouTube, but decided against it. Still, let's focus on the positive aspects of the experience and ignore the negative ones.

• My resting pulse is indeed 60, and I got to see my EKG for the first time.
• I left the operating room with all the parts I brought in. There are some diverticula, but no polyps, so nothing to biopsy.
• I was happily asleep for most of the procedure, although the nurses said I chattered merrily throughout. I'm happy I don't remember what I said.

I was so happy, I went out for a run this evening. It snowed overnight, but by this afternoon, the roads were clear. It was a beautiful day for a run. I am now at 966½ miles for the year, closing in on my goal of 1000 miles in calendar 2008.

Sky Tonight

Sky Last Month

Dec 13. There was snow this morning, but it let up about mid-day, so we did our one annual Christmas shopping run.

Of course we have no kids to buy for, and between family members, we just exchange charity donations.

I went and plucked a card off the Angel Tree at work. It was for a 10 year old who needed a snowsuit and wanted a skateboard. If it were left up to me, I would get him a really uncool Carhartt snowsuit or something, so I let the teenaged clerk at the rather expensive local snowboard/ski boutique pick one out off the clearance rack. It's much more stylish than what I would have chosen.

For the skateboard, one trip to the skateboard emporium at the local mall convinced me that I was even more unqualified to pick out a skateboard for a kid. After all, since I don't know him, it's hard to know whether a flaming skull or banana peel or naked girl would fit his personality best.

Being the kind of person I am, I bought a helmet that I think he should wear, and stuck a gift card in it so he can pick out his own skateboard.

We also had a card left on our porch by a neighbor, who is collecting toys for kids for a similar program. So, we stopped at the local foo-foo outlet in the same mall and got a stuffed panda and stuffed polar bear.

As we made our way out through the bankrupt Mervyn's, with its fixtures for sale and rapidly emptying shelves, we ran into a friend from work with her 10 month old, Audrey. Audrey took an immediate shine to the panda, and stared fixedly at it, the way only a 10 month old can. We coughed up the panda for Audrey — Merry Christmas, kid — and went back to the Foo-Foo Outlet for another panda.

Mission Accomplished.

It was snowing on the other side of the lake, and the setting sun was shining through the snow along the ridgeline, which made the horizon look like it was on fire. The picture, which doesn't do it justice, is at left. Rosemary sent me some old pictures of Sky herding last month, so I included one of those, too.

I am trying to make 1000 miles running for the year. Right now, on my running calendar, I have 962.5 for the year so I need 27.5 between now and New Year's Eve. I'm planning a 5K Resolution Run in Denver for that night, and it would be nice to hit my thousand there. The weather here is not cooperating, however.

Dec 11. Wow, December 11 already and this is the first update this month. There's been a lot going on.

Roxy has been fighting problems with lameness. About two weeks ago, she injured it and we put her on crate rest. She seemed to be better last Friday (Dec 5) but I took her out for herding practice and on the first good outrun, she came up lame again.

First to Dr. Nebeker, then an appointment with Dr. Nichols at the K-9 Rehab in Bountiful. We had to wait because they're so busy there. In the meantime, she had plenty of crate rest.

It's a hyperextension injury of a carpal ligament. In English, a wrist sprain. (Or a pastern sprain, if you want it in Dog English.)

She's still a mite groggy: they had to sedate her because she was fighting the physical therapy.

I spoke with literary agent Victoria Pryor on Tuesday. My proposal for Seven Deadly Synapses is not nearly good enough, but she says she's willing to work with me on putting together a marketable proposal. I could sure use the help.

The report on Infectious Beauty came back today as well. It was comprehensive, and gives me a lot to work on. Of course I need to show, not tell, and there are some structural problems. It will take some work. I hope I'm up to it.

I ran the Las Vegas Half-Marathon Sunday (Dec 7). I had forgotten how much I hate Las Vegas, a city built on the short con. Still, it was a good run, I took it easy, and still placed in the top half of my age group (140/285) — just barely, but in the top half. There were over 11,000 entries in the half marathon. It was crowded.

Roxy Tanked

Roxy's New Home

Roxy: Carpe Non Diem

Roxy Is in the Tank for Heather