Falling

Three stars. (★★★)

That was my most dramatic running crash yet.

I tripped a few minutes in. I was contemplating a subtle new pain in my right knee, not paying close attention to the trail. That backfired, as my right knee took the hardest hit. I also landed on the left knee, right palm and slid on the left forearm.

For a few adrenaline-addled minutes I considered whether I should continue the run like a big girl, instead of using the fall as an "excuse" to bail. I decided my situation was legitimately bail-worthy, as I was bleeding through my clothes and limping.

Two weeks later I am still scabby, bruised and sore. Thankfully nothing is broken, and today my right knee felt better than yesterday.

Three stars since I got lucky. It's a good reminder of the body's healing power and the privilege of being able to run. Plus, it feels kind of badass to get road rash from a pre-dawn trail run at age 51.

Gemini did a fair job with this recreation. Nobody wants to see the actual injuries.