Hardest. Run. Ever. Feeling discouraged.

Well last week I ran my 21 miles, my last long run before tapering and let me just say, it was the hardest, run, ever. I woke up feeling extremely tired. My body was so stiff and achy  I literally couldn't hold my toothbrush in my hand because my fingers wouldn't bend enough. I got ready and left to head out.  Usually my muscles loosen and my joints start feeling better after 45 minutes or so of running so I had high hopes. My first few miles I was about 30 seconds slower than normal... not a great start. By mile 7 I was crying. Everything hurt, I was starting to get a migraine (yes while running).Each mile was a push. I looped by my car at mile 11 and stopped my runkeeper. I drank some Nuun (electrolyte replacer) and water. Then  I decided I was done. It was too hard.  I was going way too slow. Everything hurt... whine whine whine, blah blah blah. I sat there whining to myself for about 2 minutes while stretching my legs and rehydrating.

Then, I decided, Lyme disease wasn't getting the best of me. I am not a quitter.  I set out to do something, and even if I was crawling by the end I was going to finish what I started. So off I went for my second loop. It was hard, by mile 15 I was really excited to only have a 10k left. My overall pace ended up being right on target for marathon pace (seriously? I don't know how that is even possible). I felt very discouraged. I cried in my car. I yelled at my husband for trying to encourage me when I felt like a failure. But then I got to thinking, this is the hardest run I have ever done, EVER.

With that said... maybe there is hope? Even on my hardest run, on the worst day, with the most severe my side effects get... I didn't quit.

I don't think it is going to be my training I depend on to finish this race, but my sheer stubbornness is what is going to carry me through this marathon.

18 days till 26.2 and Lyme Disease is getting the best of me

Oh my goodness 18 days until the Rock N' Roll Savannah Marathon... 26.2 miles here I come! Tomorrow morning is my last scheduled long run, 22 miles then  I begin my taper! I am still suffering the side effects of being bitten by the tick "Lyme Disease". I have a few more days left of the antibiotic and I will be finished with that - Thank GOD! The medicine makes me so sick and so tired. It is getting where I have 2-3 days of feeling "ok". Meaning I have a constant minor headache, fatigue, and minor but "tolerable" aches in my joints. Then the next day I am wiped out where it hurts to move, my head is pounding and I just want to stay covered up under a dark blanket and sleep until it's gone...  Unfortunately that's not an option so I try my best to push through and get my stuff done that needs done. I have to admit my running has been minimal. A run here, a run there... it's been really hard to stay motivated and physically to push myself when I feel so awful.

 I am confident I will finish the marathon but I don't think I will do it in my goal time. I am planning to find a late winter/early spring marathon to try for a sub 4. Hopefully in 3-4 months I will finally be feeling 100% again. I can't believe how much damage 1 little tiny bug bite can do!


The nerves are setting in, but this race I am feeling more excited than nervous. I am more confident this time around, and excited to just take it all in 1 mile at a time. My mom and dad raised me to "never give up, and always give it your all". I figure, I can't fail if I remember to do those two things.

Lyme Disease and Running

I am in the final month of my 5 month marathon training plan. I have been exhausted with the most extreme form of fatigue I have ever experienced.  My muscles have been very sore, and my joints achy. I have randomly spiked fevers over the past couple weeks, and just not been feeling great. I thought maybe I was over doing it? Maybe I wasn't fueling well enough? Then I started getting headaches, and migraines (which I have never experienced before and let me just say, they are terrible!!!). Long story short I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. A few weeks ago I had got bit or stung by something on the back of my head. I get bit and stung often by spiders, bees, ect so I didn't think much of it. My neck has been stiff for over 2 weeks and it was getting worse not better.  My jaw line went pretty numb and my vision started getting blurry. I knew something else must be going on... I was laying on the couch  (so out of character) and I came across an article from Runners World Magazine about Lyme Disease (http://www.runnersworld.com/health/runners-and-lyme-disease) and was like "oh my gosh!" That's it!

I am now on 3 weeks of anti-biotics for it which make me feel super sick. I am still working and still training. I'm hoping the side effects go away sooner than later so I will feel refreshed and ready to go come Marathon Day (1 month from tomorrow!!!). The Dr said it can take several weeks to several months for the symptoms to be gone...  I'm hoping for weeks, or even days? I was glad to hear there was something going on and it wasn't me just being out of shape or something!

Anyway, I wanted to put my story out there, maybe I can help a fellow runner or friend who somewhere down the road develops these symptoms. Lyme disease is hard to test for so it's good to know the symptoms so you can get the treatment. The bulls eye ring they look for only shows up in  70% of cases, and doesn't appear on a larger scale until the disease starts progressing. Once it hits your nervous system (around 2 months) it can cause irreversible damage and permanent arthritis in your joints.

I would love to hear anyone else's experience with ticks and running or your experience living with Lyme disease and how it has or hasn't affected you.

6 weeks left till the big day!

I have only a few more long runs before my taper begins! My mom recently decided to start training (7 weeks before the full marathon... she's crazy). I am so excited for her to run it. It's been nice to have someone to relate with after long runs, sore muscles and mental fatigue of running 15-20 miles at a time. Anyway, I'm on track to beating last years time and couldn't be more excited. I have been super tired lately and more sore than I should be, I might be fighting off all those back to school colds! I have been disinfecting everything like crazy!  I bought a few new products to try "Nuun" electrolyte replacer because I have crashed pretty hard after my last long runs (physically shut down and had a really difficult time trying to rehydrate myself). Hoping that will help, along with some new "Stinger" chewables for during my run. Also really watching my daily food and drink choices to see if that makes a difference.

 So this week
Day 1: 19 miles
Day 2: off
Day 3: 2 miles
Day 4: 5 miles
Day 5: 10.5 miles
Day 6: off
Day 7: 7 miles (rolling hills)

My long runs I have been feeling pretty good, I have only a few more to go and I'm done. I'm getting more and more excited. The worst part of this month, giving up my glass of wine! No more wine until after marathon day, gonna have to stick to water and shakology!