By The Numbers

98: F-ing days spent on crutches / 14 weeks (Oct 26th - Feb 1st )

18: Pounds of 'off season weight gain' From 151 on up to 169 (topping out at 172)
00: Concern about the weight gain

13: New Musical finds

5: New Books (purchased, not read)

3: Left Shoes worn out while the right ones sat idle

35: At home treatments with the Exogen Bone Healing System (huge thanks to my Doctor Jim Bovard setting me up with this)
20: One hour, one legged strength training sessions with Curb Ivanic (video below)
7: Physio sessions with Dr. Jenn Turner at Moveo Sport and Rehab Centre
5: Acupuncture sessions with Kim Graham at Thrive Total Fitness
3: Acupuncture sessions with Vancouver physio / ultrarunner Jackie Muir

3.5: Flights out of BC (Return from Oregon, Banff-AB, Newfoundland, Hawaii) (flying with crutches is actually much, much friendlier!)
450: Total dollars spent on all trips (air miles are a wonderful thing)
60: Beers consumed in a five day span while in Banff (literally), utilizing a previous time tested life lesson "Drink Past IT!"

10: Kilometers 'raced' on crutches at the CFA New Year's Day run (1h28m)
3: Total sets of rubber crutch tips
4: Face plants. Two in Banff on snow and ice in the same night, one on slick water soaked Vancouver grass, and one during the Ra Ra Riot / Wintersleep concert at The Commodore
2: Sets of hand grips
2: Sets of custom made armpit protectors (packing tape and hand clothes)

5: Times my crutches magically attempted to fly on their own (think Happy Gilmore)
1: Unfortunate garbage can assault via my right crutch, inflicting a permanent wobble into my sticks

7: Hours of spin sessions once I was cleared to do so
4: Hours of water running...even one additional minute and I'd have put myself out of my own misery
33: F-bombs after initial spin sessions lead to three days of swelling

4: X-rays before they finally got it right (definitely the x-ray techs fault)

1: Coffee cup/beer holder and matching wallet attachments...built to last I tell ya!

1: Breakdown after my six week x-ray, which I captured on video SPECIFICALLY SO I can personally reference it come June 25th (Western States) and August 21st (UTMB). This process WILL NOT prevent me from accomplishing what I initially would have set out to do in 2011, it will only make it that much sweeter when I finally get there!

Thank you so much to everyone who helped me throughout these past three and a half months! From the medical/physio/acupunture, to the twice weekly personal training sessions that kept me motivated when my preference was to simply lay in bed all day, to the numerous friends who raised a beer(s)/coffee(s) with me, to the people I don't really know who left endless kind and funny comments along the way, I am forever grateful. I promise to think of at least three of you specifically when I make my coveted starting lines down in Squaw Valley and across the pond in France. It's been a journey, I've learned lots, though I'm not completely sure what just yet, and though I hope I never have to go down this road again...I now know I could conquer it much more confidently with the amazing network of people I've met along the way.

And I leave you with me in an air cast trying to stay fit. Curb Ivanic shot some video during one of our workouts that he recently posted to his column on BC Living. Feel free to mock me relentlessly as I'd be insulted if you didn't.



GR