Hot like sixteen!
I must wear these.
No literally, I “must” as in they are a requirement, (although I also mean it in the “My toes are creeping into the patent leather involuntarily while I try to work” way).
Fellow Canyon HS Alum, buddy, Pac 10 rival and USA Champion 800 meter runner Alysia Johnson is getting married on the 19th of this month, and I’m an honored bridesmaid who gets to look super hot in a vintage style black wiggle dress. Oh and these red, patent leather, Michael Kors drool-worthy wedges.
Given the fact that I’m too-slowly recovering from a stress fracture, the clock is ticking. Never mind that the race season is quickly getting underway and I’m still not properly running…I need to be ready for this wedding.
With only 9 days to go, its best I don’t leave anything to chance. I need a miracle healer. Tomorrow morning I’m driving five hours to Belleview, Washington to see a voodoo doctor for three days. Ok he’s not really a voodoo doc, but that’s what the skeptics will call him who want to see me wearing flip flops on the 19th.
He does what is called “Applied Kineseology” and his methods don’t fit into traditional medicine. Its a field that gets a lot of flack from a lot of people because you can’t really explain why it works, and it is often challenged empirically, but for some people it works miracles, and this guy is considered one of the best out there.
I joke about the shoes being the impetus for this trip, and if you know me at all by now, you know that’s not the real reason. I want to be well, getting after it in training and hurting people’s feelings in races, and I’ve done everything in my power for 10 weeks and here I still am, injured, my ass getting softer by the hour. Speaking of asses, it will probably look better in that wiggle dress in my current form, so that’s a bonus, but I digress.
What convinced me to give applied kinesiology a try? You’d think “Stanford Biology Degree…that’s not in the curriculum!” Well, I’ve always been a secret hippy who loves focusing on my third eye in yoga (even though my type A personality makes it nearly impossible). Also, my experience with great massage therapists has taught me that there is something very real about energy work. Oh and I believe in superpowers. Seriously, I do.
Not everything can be easily explained, and many a great athlete has been cured by alternative medicine. Even if this guy literally waves a magic wand over me for three days straight with a pot of witches brew boiling a lock of my hair with frogs legs in the corner of the room, I’m in. Bring it.
Lauren,
That’s awesome that you are doing everything you possibly can to get back on top. I can’t help but think of The Little L-Train That Could. I hope it all works out for you!
Who cares if its voodoo. If it works, it works. As much as medicine is a science, medicine is also an art and why some treatments work for some can’t always be explained. As a doctor-to-be (knock on wood for passing boards), I think interdisciplinary treatment with both Eastern and Western medicine should be pursued, if desired by the patient and practitioner. If two people have a headache, if advil works for one and acupuncture for the other, what’s the difference as long as they get rid of their headache. Additionally, I think in terms of pain and some bone/soft tissue injuries, seeking help outside the “traditional” medical community is almost a must. Orthopods are fantastic surgeons, but, for instance, when I had some back/hamstring pain I was dead set on NOT going to an orthopedic surgeon, but rather a physical therapist, massage therapist, or something similar.
Although I’ll be practicing Western medicine for the rest of my life (although I hope to incorporate some other stuff), I, personally, want to have acupuncture done. And this applied kiniesiology looks kind of cool, I’d be down for that, too. And whatever else I find that looks cool. Cupping, reflexology, maybe a lymphatic drainage massage, etc.
I hope it works for you and, if not, I hope your foot heals soon and you can get back at it. I will send healing vibes your way — they teach that in medical school 😉
P.S. Tell the bride great job on picking out bridesmaid shoes!
Sending positive vibes your way from another Type-A-Hippie-Yogi-Runner:)
Sweet Lauren! Wishing you the best! And yes! Yeah for Type A hippies!
Glad to hear from the other hippies out there! Treatment up in Bellevue is going well! More on that later, but I’m making some breakthroughs. Thanks for the support guys and gals.
Are you taking about some David Hawkins Power vs. Force type stuff? I’m curious to hear how that goes. Good luck.
I’ll write an update as soon as I wrap things up in Seattle.
Lauren, out here in Colorado, especially in the Boulder area, alternative medicine is not frowned upon in the least. Best of luck with the treatments. I’m sure things will look up.
Boulder is a special place…open minded like Eugene, but more integrated into the sports market. Its amazing how little we pro athletes know about the alternative medicine experts in the Eugene area. There are providers everywhere, but pro runners (or pro athletes of any kind since we have no pro sports teams) haven’t been living here consistently for long enough to have figured out who’s good. In Boulder, it seems like I could do a little research and get hooked up with someone tested who “gets” runners. I wish I had 20 more years on my career to experiment here in Eugene and figure it out. I’d write a “Runner’s Guide to Eugene.”
Dude, Chill.In the very near future, stories about white people will be changed to stories about about brown people.Most of the people working in film behind the scenes have zero skills. I’m not talking about the MBAs, I’m talking about the folks in development or even many at agencies or managers. Th;2#&8y17ere being replaced by the children of minorities who put robots on Mars and know a bit about math.No one is going to see this movie anyway, if it makes you feel better.