Sunday, January 25, 2009

New Running Demon Alert! Kidney Stones!!!

Ok, so if you run in the desert, you have to be really careful with the hydration. Just breathing with your mouth open can dehydrate you. So on any run 6 miles or more, I always carry a Camelpak and I have been good at that. On my 5 mile and shorter runs, I drink before I go and when I get back. And I haven't been really good at that. Add to that; when I am out and about at work or whatever, I am always ordering up a Diet Coke, not a bottle of water...

So after 1 and 1/2 years of this training stuff and clocking close to say - 1200 miles - would it surprise anyone that I created a kidney stone?!

Turns out my "bladder infection" and "back spasm" self diagnosis the day of the PFChang 1/2 were just a little off... I have a great friend that is Neuro Critical Care Nurse and smarter than most people and she suggested my continued Right Back Pain Complaint was perhaps Right Kidney Pain. So some doc visits and xrays later... my bladder had about 10 specks of calcium floating around in it! The "gravel" of a broken up kidney stone.

I am lucky - I didn't experience the drop you to your knees pain. Although in hind sight, the morning of the race, I could not stand up straight I hurt so bad! Funny how the twinging pain felt similar to that awful spasm of throwing your back out. And also funny how I might "throw my back out" while doing nothing physical since I was off of running the 3 days prior to the race!

I always super-hydrate for 3 days prior to a run - one of the tips my Bicycle Racing Doctor buddy told me about. If you pound the fluids for a couple days, you can create intra-cellular hydration to help get you through the race. I had been doing that and maybe all that extra fluid passing through my kidneys and bladder helped to break up the stone.

The funny part of this entire thing was once I started running, I did not notice the pain. Again - how lucky was I?! The stone must have been breaking up that morning and the worst of it was over by the start of the race.

Wow! Sometimes it's better just not to know. And sometimes you are just lucky...could have been WAY worse.

Let's all go drink some water!

Monday, January 19, 2009

P.F. Chang Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon...

What is wrong with me???!!! Why haven't I posted ANYTHING for 23 days???!!!!

Some demons invaded my running again! Almost made me quit running. And I need to tell the story now because this is exactly the kind of thing that every one faces when they run for any extended period of time. So I want to share because someone out there is facing the same things.

So back to my post of Dec 14... that 20 mile run that I spoke of. Something weird began in my right knee on the last mile of that run. It didn't slow me to a walk, but I noticed it and put it out of mind and finished my 20 mile chore at hand.

And then... it came back on a 3 on a 4 on a 5 and forced me to walk even on short runs! I was sick about it. And then it was Christmas and off we went to Mom's house and interestingly, my short runs there had no knee pain... on pavement. Then we went to Mexico and in between extra rest days, I found 4, 5 and 6's to be pain free... on a hard packed dirt road.

Then I came home and ran a 5 with out pain and then attempted a 10 on my Mountain trail. At 3.4 the pain was back. But... I needed to get my mileage in, so I said, "ok self... we will walk/run but we WILL do 10". So I walked until the pain subsided and ran until it came back and repeated all of that many times over until mile 5.5 where I could only walk... and by mile 8 I was hobbling... all the way home.

And I was SICK! I had the PF Chang 1/2 coming up in one week! And 4 weeks later, the Lost Dutchman Full and here I am, can't even go 10! Can you feel my heartbreak???!

I rested again. Then I tried a 4 on pavement. No pain. Then a 6 on pavement, no pain. Then I quit running because the PF Chang run was in 3 days. And I concluded (with the help of my chiropractor), that running on trails was doing something to my knee. Lot's of uneven terrain, lots of changes of direction. Pavement is not forgiving, but it is steady and consistent and it was not hurting my knee.

Torment... should I drop out? I was talking this over with my sister and she said to me, "you could always just walk it". Then it dawned on me. Of course! I would not allow this setback to ruin everything I have worked for. I would attempt the PF Chang 1/2 and if I had to drop back to a walk, so be it. That is what training is all about. You DEAL with your set backs, you don't give up.

So I made my mind up. I would run the PF Chang 1/2 on Sunday for as long as I could and then I would walk. Done deal.

Then on Friday... I felt weird. Some nervy feeling in my gut. Race jitters? Maybe. But no, by afternoon, I knew exactly what it was. This may be too much info for some, but I am an honest chick, so I will just tell you. I realized I had a bladder infection. Haven't had one in many years, but no mistaking the discomfort and urgency to use the bathroom. Now not only was I mentally sick, but I was physically sick!

I got started on Macrodantin that afternoon and by Saturday evening, the pain and discomfort were gone. Still taking the antibiotic (not wishing it to come back), I went to sleep Saturday ready to go run a 1/2 Marathon - for as far as my knee would let me!

Sunday - 4:45 am. Race day. I have my routine laid out. I get out of bed and SURPRISE! I must have slept wrong! My lower back was twinging like it was about to go out! Another ailment I have not had affect me in many years! I could barely hobble to the bathroom from the bed! This was crazy! Affliction number 3!!! Was something telling me not to run this race?

Race Morning Glamor shot with many reflectors.

My husband said, "Come back to bed. forget this race, you are not in any condition to run". I said, "Well, I am going to try. I will stretch when I get there." Packed my gear, got dressed, ate my bagel and peanut butter and out the door I went.

I am not a fan of giant crowds and this PF Chang run is one GIANT crowd. I got to the start line early but had to use the porta potty due to coffee and gatorade. I am not lying, I stood in line for FORTY MINUTES to get my turn! This was almost not acceptable. I was sweating and doubled over by the time my turn came and that was even after 3 nice ladies looked at me and gave me there position in line because it was apparent, I was in a very uncomfortable position. Let me just say this... for a $100 entry fee, these promoters could have had a few more porta-potties!

I pee'd, I went to get in my corral for the start and there was no way! The crowds were too big for me to make my way up! I was scheduled for corral 12 and ended up in corral 15. What the hell, I figured, it's a timing chip race, so who cares where I start. Plus... in the back of my mind I knew I would probably have to walk... and all of the sudden I am starting the race without any stretching except what I could do right there in the middle of the crowd. I was doomed...

Zoom forward to the rest of the story...

I ran the fastest 1/2 Marathon of my running career to date. I had a nice day, no knee pain, the back never bothered me once I started running and I averaged 11 minute miles! Yea for me! 2:28! Ran the entire race and enjoyed it.

Moral of the story: Demons will always be there in some form or another. Some will absolutely make you stop in your tracks, but some... some can be beat down. I beat back three demons - any one could have made me drop out of that run. But I told myself I would do what I could - I have been training for 6 months - let's see what we can do.

And I had a surprise ending.

This running thing is crazy. It pushes you out of your comfort zone. It makes you do things you know better than to do. And no matter what the ending is... you are proud. Because you go further than you have ever gone before.

Thanks for waiting on me to come back to my senses. I'm back. Now... I just have to decide if I have enough miles under me to do the Lost Dutchman Full on Feb 15. It might make sense to drop back to the 1/2... but I have 4 weeks to figure it out. This weekend will be the decider. If I can run a long run this weekend, I just may be able to do the full marathon... we shall see!