COVID-19 Coronavirus update in Mississippi

COVID-19 as of 3/23/20

I'm writing this for my benefit.  This is something I have never experienced in my lifetime.  This is an update from my post just barely 10 days ago.  Much as changed!  

Mississippi as of today has 249 confirmed cases and 1 death.  All the schools are shut down until April 17.  Everyone is urged to STAY AT HOME so that we can flatten the curve.  All large events canceled.  Churches doing online services only.  Restaurants are only open for take out service.  No dine in.  And yet, when I wake up the grass is nice and green, the birds are chirping, and life looks normal on my own little piece of land.  But it's far from normal! The news is 24/7 updates on COVID-19.   There are daily work meetings held by our virus task force.  It almost seems like a dream until you turn on the TV or turn on the computer.  

I believe that more so in a crisis we tend to turn to God and ask WHY.  Which we rarely get the answer immediately so I don't know why we beg for the answer.  I guess it's just human nature.  As for me, I believe God is saying, "come to me".  He's waiting for us all to turn to him.  Quit trying to form answers to all the questions and just come to him and be still.  I felt so blessed yesterday for technology.  I was able to listen not only to my home church service, but I also listened to another church service and bits and pieces of others as I had time to catch them.  It was amazing.  I had tears flowing as I listened to each one share the message of how if you remember this is a time of lent leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection.   He died that we may live.  We are never alone and God is always with us during good and bad times when we follow him.  I think during this time of quarantine we should reflect on how we have been living our lives lately.  I for one need improvements.  I fail every day.  So I'm discussing those items with God in prayer daily because I know only with him can I change those bad habits.  Maybe if everyone took this time to Be Still with God .... there would not be all this panic and we would see things turn around. 

In a matter of days everything can change....... COVID-19 .... PANDEMIC

This time last month I would have never dreamed that the whole country would be shutting down due to a virus...Coronavirus...  COVID-19! Normally I would not be writing about this, but it's so rare!!  I mean the Flu is all over and many people die from it, but the country has never went into such a panic over the flu.  

We went from all is good to the CDC recommending not going to any large events... Started at 250 then nothing over 50 people.. and now today they saying 10 people! All sports at the schools are canceled.  Major sporting events canceled!  Spring break for the schools being extended.  Restaurants only doing takeout or drive thru business. Travel is shut down or limited.  Italy is on lock down!  It's now classified as a Pandemic!  I'm 53 years old and I have never seen such.  It's almost surreal.  I still come to work as usual and everything looks OK, but the higher ups are having daily meetings to discuss the situation and make decisions as what to do for our company.  When will it end?  Will it end???  As my preacher said yesterday we can't let the fear direct our lives.  We can't live in panic mode.  We must remember "who" is really in control and have faith.  Sometimes that can be hard with all the news media that is freaking so many people out.  Yesterday I ran in the store to grab a few things and I had been hearing and reading how shelves were empty, but I didn't get it really until I saw it in person!  No bread!  Even the frozen meat section was EMPTY!!  It was like people were preparing for a hurricane or something.  I feel bad for the people that are on a limited budget and only get paid at certain times because looked like so many were stocking up and taking everything!!!

Races all over the globe are also being canceled or postponed.  The Boston marathon was postponed till September 14!  I'm very thankful it's postponed because one of my dear sweet friends is running it this year.  She's worked so hard.  

 I knew when Boston was postponed that Big Sur would be next.  It's also a pretty big race and they have the back to back option linked with Boston.  I knew several were registered for that so I figured since it's also in April it would be next and Friday, March 13, we got the confirmation.  For now they are saying it's postponed till late summer or fall.  They are looking for a date.  That race is a tad different in that they have to shut down a main highway for 6-8 hours to have the race.  That all has to be approved, etc. 

So it may take the Big Sur a little longer to set a date than Boston did for their race.  I'm just hoping it will happen and they won't cancel it completely!  It's hard to get into the big races.  I was beyond thrilled to be going and taking my mom.  Seeing California for the first time.  So I'm praying it happens and also that this conronavirus mess goes away with warmer temps coming and all this madness doesn't extend into the fall because I have Chicago coming up in October (having a little pity party at the moment..).  I could end up having Big Sur and Chicago pretty close together if Big Sur finds a date close to Boston like they usually do for the Back to Back.  Hoping if that happens it all works out at work for me to be off to do both races since you don't get in on the lottery every year!

  Which I guess it's a good thing that my races in March & April are being canceled or postponed because I finally went to the doctor today to have my ankle/leg looked at from my spill I took at the MS50 last weekend.  It started as just a small bruise with a ton of pain in my lower calf after I rolled my ankle when I slipped in the mud.  Then the ankle really started to swell and turn colors.  Here are a few pictures:

Day 1...  mostly just bruising on lower side of leg

By Monday... (day 2)

 By Saturday .. 1 week out.. swelling going down .. foot doesn't hurt.. by can't stand to touch calf! or side of leg down to top of ankle bone.

Monday.. 9 days later .. blue both sides of foot now......   Still lots of pain .. so off to doctor

 Bad sprain/strain around ankle on tendons & ligaments and a calf tear. 

She doesn't think it's a complete tear because I have good range of motion so that's good.  Maybe it's just a bad strain.  Only a MRI will tell and we are going to wait on that and see if it gets better in 3 weeks.  So basically no running for me for the next 3-4 weeks.  I hope to get in some swims, but all the gyms are also closing so who knows if that will happen.  Guess it will be lots of ABS.. ha  Lordy... I need to run because I almost fell out when I had to weigh at the doc today.  I haven't weighed myself in a month or so and let's just say.... I may of gained some weight!!! which I have no idea how with all the miles I've been getting in.  Guess it's all the food and my dang slow metabolism at my age. 😏

And now the CDC is recommended all these precautions to go on the next 8 weeks!!! That will lead to the weekend of the 5K that my team Run4TheKids host to raise money for St. Jude!! So now I've got to watch that and possibly end up changing our date depending on how this all plays out.  

Now's the time to really turn to prayer.  Ask for God's guidance and direction around the world in all these decisions and pray this virus goes away soon.  So many are being effected by all of this.  People need to work.  Some kids need to go to school because that's where they get their meal for the day.  Businesses need to be open.  Travel needs to be open.  So Let's all join together in Prayer instead of Panic.  

MS50 50K 3-7-20

Ms Doris made me my own walking stick!  She brought it to packet pickup on Friday night to me.  It has Carl Touchstone Trail Run MS50 written on one side and Carpe Diem on the other side, which basically means to sieze the day.  This is Sunshine's mom. She's been running the trail run for 21 years!  

MS50 Trail run.....  now if you've never done a trail run let me give you a little insight...  typically trail running is a sport-activity which combines running, where there are steep gradients, hiking, that is run "on any unpaved surface".  Unlike road running or track running, it generally takes place on hiking trails, often in mountainous terrain, where there can be ascents and descents and plenty of mud when it rains.  I wouldn't say the MS50 is "mountainous", but it is a challenge.  Here is a picture of the elevation and then a few pictures of the trail. 

I promise there were other runners.  I didn't take my GoPro on my first big loop.  So by the time I grabbed it from my vehicle on my 2nd big loop the race had thinned out because several were only doing the 20K distance and the fast runners were way ahead of me so It looks like I'm alone, but trust me there are a few people around me.   The woods just hide them well.  One time I ran off the trail to take a potty break and I looked around before I pulled my pants down and saw no one.  As soon as I was all squatted down, here comes a runner!  I was like where the heck did he come from.  hee hee  He was in his own little world so I don't think he saw me.  At least I hope he didn't.  😁 Men have it so much easier when taking a potty break! They don't even have to pull their pants down! 😛

It was a beautiful day on Saturday! The sun was shinning and NO rain.... Thank the sweet Lord.  Here is South Mississippi, we've had so much rain over the past 2-3 months.  Lots of flooding.  For the most part the trails were pretty dry except in a few spots.  I did lose my right shoe in one mud hole.  It was like it was quick sand and it grabbed a hold of my shoe and would not let go.  It took all the strength I could muster up around mile 20 to pull the shoe out of the mud. 😅

 Blue means last loop! YIPPIE

By mile 14 my left leg was killing me.  And that's my GOOD leg! I don't know what happen except that I did kind of roll my foot on that leg.  It was almost like a calf cramp, but different because the pain ran down the side of my ankle up to my calf.  I almost turned around and stopped, but figured I would shake the pain after a few miles.  Well, I didn't!  The pain stayed with me the rest of the run.  I walked A LOT after that.  I kept telling myself just one foot in front of the other.  Just don't stop.  So that's what I did along with a lot of praying.  I also beat myself up for talking myself into the 50K when I know trail running is not my favorite and I don't do any trail runs to prepare my body.  
  Maybe if I ran more trails I'd like it because I have several friends that absolutely would rather trail run than road run.  But not for me.  I'd rather road run than trail run.  Maybe it's because I don't have proper trial shoes and I tend to slip and slide and be very uneasy on the trails which causes my whole body to hurt.  It's usually just my ankles that hurt really bad after a trail run, but this time it's my leg.  It's now showing a bruise and swollen.  I'm thinking it's Peroneal Tendonitis... oh boy.  I should have iced it yesterday and Saturday night! 

I'm not sure if I pulled something around my ankle area when I rolled it and that part runs up the side of my leg or what.  All I know is ...... IT DOES NOT feel that great.  I'm glad the Big Sur is a good month away.  Praying nothing is wrong inside that I can't see to prevent me from going to the Big Sur.... PLUS with this coronavirus I'm praying that doesn't stop my travels next month.  Right now through 3/31 the company I work for has put in a "no travel" policy for us to any state that has the virus.   There is a case in California. 😢  They plan to reevaluate the situation at the end of March and adjust the policy as needed.  There is just so much unknown with the disease that they are being very cautious.  I would have never thought I'd say that I would be missing a race due to a virus, but I won't be traveling to the Rock N Fly this month in Florida due to a case. 😭

Anyway, back to the trail run. 😛  I'm glad it was over.  My 3rd 50K to do and I'm not sure I want to do it again.  My friend who turns 50 next year wants to do the 50K.  I told her I'll do the 20K and then cheer her on. 😍  Until then I plan to keep on road running.  

But seriously if you like the outdoors, you should try trail running.  It really is beautiful being out in God's country and they (Renee & Dennis) put on an excellent trail run!  And I probably would have enjoyed the race a little more if I had been with a big group of friends like I have in the past.  It didn't work out for us to all be together this year.  One had her husband in the hospital, one only did the 20K because she's been really busy with her son and no time for training, one has been going through a lot of stuff lately and no training, etc......  I had hoped to run at least 1 big loop with 1-2 peeps, but with my 2nd loop being so much slower I never crossed paths with them on their one loop.   The 50K started at 6am and the 20K started at 8am so I had hoped I'd join them on my 2nd loop, but it didn't happen.  I ended up being alone the whole 31.1 miles except for the few people I chatted with along the course that I didn't know.  One guy was pretty funny.  When I stopped to walk one time, he said, "don't do that.  I've been following you and you've been keeping me going...oh and BTW has your husband told you lately you have a cute butt and a cute pony tail." 😂 I almost fell out laughing.  I told him my husband was home in his recliner and he had no idea how my pony tail nor my butt looked while running. 😂😀

Loving our sweatshirt and medal!

 I forgot my watch was on pause when I would stop.  I usually remember to change that setting during a race, which normally on road running you don't ever stop.  I went to my vehicle 2X during the trail run.  Once to get my GoPro and once to refill my camelback with hydration... plus a couple potty breaks along the trail.  There are no bathrooms out there. 😜  SO my moving time was 7:37, but my total time being out there was 7:52! OUCH! That's a long time and way over my best time for a 50K... but hey.. it's a FINISH! 

Some call me crazy.. I call myself a distance runner. 

Because HE'S my STRENGTH. 💓