Thursday, August 30, 2012

What the Friday?

I set a new PR this month.  Not a running PR, but it was nearly as impressive. I set a PR for the number of welts (200+) my body could fit on my torso (with a small amount of spill over onto my legs).  This nasty weltfest lasted for nearly 4 weeks! The cause of this rash, called Pityriasis rosea (also a PR!), appears to be quite a medical mystery. The prevailing hypothesis calls it an immune system response to a viral infection of some sort since most people report having had some sort of horrible viral infection prior to its onset.

Immediately before the PR onset, I didn't have typical viral symptoms, but I did have a killer toothache. I mean, a jaw-throbbing, headache inducing, face numbing toothache. It lasted for about 10 days. I didn't suspect a virus because I actually do have a bad tooth that I need to pay a lot of money to have fixed. I did try to make an appointment with my dentist when the pain got pretty unbearable, but I never made it to the appointment because the toothache magically disappeared--just as my body started welting up.

My body looked hideous.  Just click on the link above and view some of the pictures. I was one of the lucky ones, however, in that my rash did not itch. Only 25% of those affected have no itching associated with the rash.

Since my body has been fighting its own internal battles over the past 6 weeks, it hasn't had a lot of interest in training hard. I have been training, but I haven't felt 100%.  I did my first 20 miler for my Twin Cities Marathon Prep a few weeks ago, but soon after that realized I needed to ditch that marathon plan and let my body tell me when it wanted to run hard again.

The PR went away a week or more ago, but I still don't feel perfect. I do feel like I'm getting there, though. Always eager to have a new goal, I started a 14-week marathon training program last week, targeting the California International Marathon as my goal race.  I hope this will be enough time to get over this health crisis and get in some good training.

CIM is a great race.  I've run it 5 times but not since 2008, where I had my best marathon experience ever though not my fastest time. In fact, the picture at the top of my blog was taken that day in 2008 at around mile 20, and, yes, I WAS that happy!

I've been thinking about what to do with this blog since I seem to be having a tough time motivating myself to keep it up.  I've decided to do weekly posts with updates on my training. To start things off, here's what I did last week!

Total miles: 63
M: 6 easy with hill plyometrics
T: 10 total with 2 miles of sprint training then 3 x 3,2,1 minute hill repeats @5k effort (equal jog rests) on treadmill (major mental focus required for this!)
W: 8 easy
Th: 8.5 w/10 increasing effort strides then 20 minutes at marathon effort (~6:30)
F: 6 easy with hill plyometrics
Sat: 8 easy
Sun: 16.5 including drills and plyometrics, then 30 minutes at 1/2 marathon effort (~6:25).  Tough day.                              

7 comments:

  1. That's a nasty looking affliction. I recall having a body rash (not sure if it was the same thing) about 12 months ago which gradually disappeared of its own accord.

    Good news about the CIM training. Good idea also to list recent training - that always makes for interesting (to us running nerds) reading. A few of my friends do a similar thing. I notice the plyometrics in there - another friend ruptured her achilles doing those! Be careful.

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    1. Thanks for checking in, Ewen. If your rash formed the shape of a Christmas tree on your back or belly, then it probably was the same thing.

      I'm glad you like my idea for a future blog format. I tend to appreciate it when other running bloggers do the same.

      The plyometrics are being gradually reintroduced into my schedule. I used to do them consistently but gave them up when I stopped working with Coach Nicole (after Chicago 2010). I think they are a really important training element, but you're right that you can get injured if you don't do them properly.

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    2. It was an 'all over' rash on my stomach/chest. I think it may have been a viral related thing - wasn't itchy at all so that was good. When it warms up I'll start with hopping and jumping type drills. I think they'll help my 3/5k.

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    3. Check out the Everest Hill Drills that former Coach Nicole had me do. These are the ones I am doing right now, though I shorten it up sometimes and just do high knees, one leg hops and hill bounds.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9kt1v3Yj6c.

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    4. Thanks Jaymee. They're good ones.

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  2. Wow. That's gross. Glad you're better! Think it has anything to do with the stress you mentioned in a previous entry? I too look forward to reading about your training!

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    1. Gross. Yes. I'm sure the stress had something to do with it. It's all connected, isn't it?

      Glad you like reading about my training. I promise it will get more interesting soon!

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