Thankful

Hi!

Yep, it's me again and what a first week post-vacation back it has been. I love what I do, but deadlines, meetings, and wasting time (it all happened this week!) takes a toll on you.  After work, I exercised but my mind and heart were not in it. It was hot. I hadn't planned well, but towards the end of the run I thought back over the past year and about previous years, when I could not run, and suddenly I was just overwhelmingly thankful that I could run at all.

Growing up, I was a healthy kid who had acne and took medication in high school up through 2003. I usually got a cold every fall, which I now know was due to allergies, but rarely did I get sick. I got pneumonia in December 2001 and then again after getting H1N1 in 2009.  Then, I transferred schools and life got interesting and below are a brief summary of my health trials.

2003 - Spring - I transfer schools and get diagnosed with classic migraines.  I gain more weight than I have in my entire life, lose my balance which has never been great, and get off all medications.  I determine the triggers - after comparing ingredients on labels - and I begin a life of not eating citrus (naturally occurring, organic, or added).  Bummer - I loved lemonade and limeade during the hot summer months.

2008-2013 - I begin experiencing symptoms that will lead to surgery in March 2013. I buy my first house 2 weeks prior to surgery and at this point I am not exercising much.  Fall/Winter 2013, I get bronchitis.

2014 - Spring - I get pneumonia and then Fall/Winter 2014, I get bronchitis and miss Thanksgiving for the first time in my life.

2015 - I signup for a running coach (first one) and I complete the Cherry Blossum 10 Miler. I am supposed to run my first marathon the fall, but after lots of allergy shots (weekly and testing), I am just not where I need to be.  September - I get the results of a second round of allergy testing and begin the elimination diet. I did not learn much, but I quit all running until December 2015. Mold is removed from my house and I start feeling better (Fall 2015). I plant flowers and put in a flower bed.

2016 - I begin running just a little and I start feeling a bit better.  I accept a job and prepare my house for sale. July 2016 - I start my new position and begin feeling not great, since my apartment has similar issues to my house. I sell my first house (yay) and house hunting begins in earnest.  I also run my first 5k since all this goes crazy and sign up with my second running coach, who continues to coach me today.  I am lucky she did not kick me to the curb, when I showed up late to our initial meeting. I continue to slowly run but my health continues to be problematic.

2017 - I go of all medication, but I begin having issues similar to 2008-2013.  Thankfully, I do not need surgery, but I begin seeing a specialist and running continues.  March 2017 - I run another 5k and feel as though I can actually do them without dying (big accomplishment). Bad health patches hit and I realize a half marathon is out of the question for Spring. I move into my new house in April and I begin feeling so much better.

Full circle - I continue working with a specialist and my 5ks in July and late August go well. I sign up for a half marathon, which I am running on November 4th.

So - yeah - I could schedule my runs better to avoid accidents. Thanks to Ali Feller (@aliontherun1), I can admit that this is sometimes an issue for me and now I will not feel bad about taking the sometimes necessary trip to the facilities enroute. I run better and avoid runner's trots=win, win.

My training has been fairly consistent although the not the best since June. I skipped some time in May and then again on vacation, but I stayed active with walking, hiking, weeding, etc. This could mean my half marathon time is not what my coach and I hoped it would be. I doubt it will be worse than a 2:45 I ran until mile 10 and then walked until the ending, which I finished slowly in Fall 2015.

For those, who are healthy and have not experienced training issues, I truly applaud you, but I also recognize that I am becoming a stronger person and runner despite these issues. I might not have a faster time in November, but I am proud of my drive to get in a workout (even if it is not ideal) per the schedule, even when work keeps me at the office for long days.

Do not take your health for granted, because one never knows what tomorrow will bring.

Happy Thursday!