The Other Sports-Related Injury

I played lacrosse for Notre Dame at a buck twenty for four years. You would think when taking the behemoth defense-women of Ohio State and Northwestern to goal I would have gotten injured. But I didn't. Not once. I was crushed several times within the 8-meter fan as the Point, Cover Point and Third Man collapsed on me to prevent my change-up shot (that's the loopy slow one that was a product of not having enough strength toward the final minutes of the game because I hadn’t eating enough before the game ... all so I could fit into my size small gold kilt.) But after the crash, I always got up, bounced back, and occasionally used my dramatic repertoire to score a center stage position on eight meter.

Fast forward to today. I've signed up and now received my bib number to compete in the big race next Sunday - the one that has a legacy of injuring people. Knees, backs, shins, hamstrings, feet, livers and lungs become vulnerable assets as you tread mile after mile after mile all so you can go the 26.2 mile distance.

When I signed up to run for Team RMHC in the 2010 Chicago Marathon I was inundated with information about how to be the best I could be and how to avoid injury. I heard people speak about their marathon experience; was informed about nutritional best practices; encouraged to get the proper running shoes and socks; warned to listen to my body; and told to stop if something was feeling strained so not to cause a bigger problem. I learned the keys to pacing, timing and fuel breaks; about the “taper period” between now and the marathon; and the heaping pile of pasta dinner that I'm supposed to consume the night before the race (thank heavens there's no gold kilt involved on race day.) All that’s left now is completing that 26.2 mile parade on race day.

During these months of training, I've heard horror stories about my teammates' injuries to their muscles, joints and bones. And there are participants that have entirely dropped out of the race due to such injuries. As I entered my last month of training and did my two 20-mile runs, I thanked God for not getting injured. And then this week ... after decades of playing sports without an injury, I became the injured. BUT ...  NO ONE ... NO WHERE along the way, EVER referenced my injury – my excruciatingly painful injury.

I have injured my left boob.

Yes, I have the rare, un-talked about injury that affects the well-endowed female runner with improper 10-year old Notre Dame issue gear for a sports bra. Basically, my injury looks and feels like I have had razor blades as under wires for the past two weeks. I am sore and it is AWFUL … especially after a run and especially in the shower! No pain, no gain right? Wrong. I could really have gone without these sores. 

So last night, with a much more malicious undertone than what it takes to make crabby cakes, I set out to instill some pain on a couple other breasts with the hope that their pain would be my gain when dinner was served.

To make a long recipe short: I took bone-in, healthy, voluptuous chicken breasts and massacred them, skin side down, with hot oil and a brick until their skin looked golden brown and really sore. 

Ironically enough, The Boyfriend started singing "She's a brick ... hoooouse" while I was cooking. (My Ellis girls will get that one.) Then I flipped those chicks over and did the same awful deed again for five more minutes on the other side.

After they had enough, I realized it was time to ease their suffering so I added some chicken stock and lemon juice to soothe their crispy skins. The pan sauce did wonders, brought them back to life, and enabled them to perform to perfection at the big show on the dinner table. 

I whipped up some creamy mashed potatoes, sauteed some spinach and called for The Boyfriend to dish up! 

Their pain was definitely our gain. Now here’s hoping that my pain will heal quickly (perhaps with a little Vaseline and an investment in a new sports bra?) and that I will be able to finish the race unencumbered by my pesky injury on 10.10.10.

Lo

And in case you still haven't donated to my cause ... I'm trying to raise $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities. I'm over half way there, and need every last bit of help to meet my goal! The over 7,200 families we serve every day at our 300 Ronald McDonald Houses and I are extremely grateful for any support you can offer!