What's an "Altoid?"

Last Monday night, playing softball, I hurt my shoulder.

We were tied. We were already playing extra innings. I was on third base. I ran home, got in a rundown, and, before I even attempted sliding into home plate, I knew I was going to be out. But I slid anyway. It wasn't much of a "slide" actually. It was more like reaching my arm out as far as it would go and belly flopping on the plate. I banged by whole face in the dirt. I wish it had been cooler, or I'd at least been safe, but no, it was embarrassing and I was OUT. And of course, my shoulder was on fire. We played two more innings (I think?) and I couldn't move my arm. I bawled like a baby all the way home and went to Urgent Care the next day.

Deltoid. 

Long story short, I found out a week after the incident that I'd strained by deltoid muscle, NOT to be confused with an altoid muscle which is what I thought the doctor was calling it.

Altoid. 

"So how much longer until my altoid is back to normal?" I asked.

He kind of looked at me with this confused expression, one eyebrow cocked higher than the other, and said, "It's called a 'deltoid' muscle. You'll need to take several weeks off from softball, and no weight lifting on that arm, but after a few weeks you can start using it more. For now you need to just take it easy."

How embarrassing.

He did, however, say I could continue running. I am SO glad, especially since one of my sisters agreed to SIGN UP FOR THE SPARTAN BEAST WITH ME!!! We're both already mortified at the idea of it but it's too late, we have already signed our lives away. AND... coincidentally, I was supposed to go to my OWN graduation that day. Yep, this girl will miss it so she can be a Spartan. Run a 10-12 mile obstacle course instead of wearing a boring cap and gown?? Totally worth it.

Spartan Beast

Fortunately we have plenty of time to train. I plan on doing the Route 66 Half Marathon again in November, and then we'll do the Spartan Race in December.

And then... I WILL do a FULL marathon in April! I will be able to finally cross a few more things off my fitness bucket list at last!

For now I'm just doing short runs, 3 or so miles, a few days a week, and will have to start doing some crossfit type stuff soon. Oh, and I should probably stop eating cake and donuts and Dr Pepper all the time.

Stay tuned!