THE AFTER EFFECTS in NYC:

Left leg: shin splints

Right leg: working itself out daily, but some severe anterior tibial ligament overuse – just needs time and perhaps a “pass” on next week’s Jingle Bell Jog.

               (I walk like I just ran an ultra…..and for the past week, I’ve had to put my feet up in the air to reduce massive swelling.  Haven’t seen cankles like that since pregnant with Gabriella!)

Hunger:  I can’t stop eating!  Came home to see 10 pounds absolutely gone.  I knew something was up when I put on my travel pants to wear home, and they fell to my ankles – that’s a first for me.  The funny part is that I can’t stop eating.  As soon as I eat and fill up, I count to 10, and I’m hungry again!  It’s like my engine kicked into high gear – to boot, another 2 pounds burned through since my return, and I have yet to exercise.  Yes, I will enjoy it for now….. It certainly helped to have Thanksgiving upon my return, but there’s no way this can last.

Sunburn:  I blew it on day 1 and did not realize how strong the sun…..burned my arms, hands, and back of neck to a crisp.  It was quite a horror show when I saw it all in the mirror for the first time!  No more will I mention – remember to use sunscreen NO MATTER WHAT!

Overall: silly happiness.  Strong body that tells me I kicked ass.  Smiles as I think back to people, vistas, stories and experiences that I will never forget.  I’m still in disbelief.

Saturday night back in the hotel:

What an amazing moment to be in the first bus approaching the hotel after a long drive through the national park….pizza and beers finished on board and a push into deep silence of reflection, achievement, and perhaps just dumbfounded realization of accomplishment tinged with the deepest need of sleep and recovery.  Perhaps one of my karmic rewards of always pulling up the rear for the past week was the gift of “first bus – first room” ready and available for Cathrine and I.  She even stepped aside to grant a “first shower” and I will not even begin to delve into the feeling of the first hot water…..its what I imagine we experience as babies when we first taste something sweet, and first feel the touch of a human being stroking our head —- it was ammmmaaazing. 

What truly surprised me was my complete reversal of expectation – I thought I would be jumping on phone and computer to hear from the world and herald my return; but instead, there was a stunned and peaceful silence in my brain.  Looking back I think it was a rewiring of my circuits – and a wonderful calm induced by day after day of nature, endorphins, exercise, extremes, and a complete unplug from the day to day pace of my usual NYC days and activities.  And it was with all my might that my soul tried to protect that newfound bubble of peacefulness.  I bathed in it —- I closed my eyes and enjoyed all of the open space of mind ready for new creative pursuits and thoughts and not mindless lists and “Have to do’s”.  I hung on to that through Sunday and it was bliss.  The reward was that as I slowly re-emerged I found myself anew —- almost as if I could ride on top of the usual noise rather than in it, and it has continued all the way home to NYC.  And a cool side effect?  I keep smiling.  I can’t stop.  Just darn happy……