Race again

Sometime last year I entered a race.  Actrually two but I only ran in one.  This year I have signed up for 2 more.  Each of them are 5K and I am thinking about entering the 1/2 marathon, is that crazy?  I think it is.  Time will tell. 

My race was on the 23rd of April which seemed fine untiil I realized the girls all had their first soccer game that day too.  Game one at 9am, game two at 9:30, and game three at 2.  My race started at 9am in Alpine, but I had to be there early to get my runners packet and check in.  That would mean I would miss the first 2 games and Robert would be hopping from one to another. 

I was getting a little worried about my training since I hadn't really for awhile.  My parents were here, I didn't run at all that week.  We had spring break and sick kids, I didn't really run that week.  I figured I would just get in some good long runs and some fast interval workout before my run on Saturday. 

Then on Sunday of race week I had a terrible headache.  (It never went away until Friday.)  Monday morning I had a scratchy throat, and by the middle of the day, I had called Robert to tell him to pick up something for dinner since I didn't really feel good.  My throat on one side felt like it was on fire.  My head still hurt and I just wanted to go to bed.  Tuesday morning I slept in while Robert got the early kids off to school.  I had to get up around 8 to make sure Em was getting ready for school and then I would have to take her to school.  Once I got out of bed, I was in such pain, my body hurt all over, my throat was in a firery furnace, my ears felt as if they would explode, my head was pounding.  Several times contempleted ways to end the pain, but I knew that wasn't the answer. 

Robert had asked me that morning if I needed him to stay home.  I don't think I have ever had him stay home, even after we have a baby, he takes a day or two off, and then goes back to work.  I guess he figures that is time enough right.  (smiles)  I felt so horrible, and I hated to call and ask, but I did, I called and asked if he could come home.  I called and got a doctors appointment.  Confirmed strep, I pretty much slept most the day after 3pm, except when I was in that 1 hr window of not being able to take more pain meds yet not getting relief. 

Wednesday I told Robert he could go back to work, I knew I was on the mend.  I hadn't eaten much at all, I did manage to eat a popscicle, but the sugar in it left undesirable phlem in my thoat.  I figured I was dehydrated too, possible cause of headache, and it hurt SO SO bad to drink anything. 

By Friday I could drink continuously without having to stop after ever swallow.  It didn't hurt much to even swallow my own saliva compared to before.  I even ate part of dinner.  Things were looking up. 

I had been dizzy and light headed the whole week.  Grandma said it was due to the antibiotics.  She may be right, I still get a little dizzy now, but not as bad, and I am still on the meds.  I was contemplating the whole week how I was going to run this race on Saturday.  How can I run if I am dizzy?  How can I run if I haven't eaten at all?  How am I going to run when my throat hurts so bad?

I talked to Robert about it on Friday night.  I had decided it was a bummer but I wasn't going to be able to do it.  I hadn't trained the last 3 weeks, I was sick, we had crazy soccer schedules... it just wasn't going to work out.  End of discussion, I wasted my money, I didn't get to race. 

Amber woke up early Saturday morning.  I started to think about the race again.  I could walk if my throat was hurting.  If I was dizzy, I could always just walk too.  I already paid for it, even if I walk it, I should just go.  I set my alarm and went back to bed, or tried to.  I was then too excited to sleep and was thinking about the race. 

My alarm went off, I woke up Robert to check to see if he was okay if I really did go to my race.  He said he would arrange all the soccer stuff and I could go.  I got up, had a yogurt for breakfast, took some motrin and grabbed a bottle of water and headed to the race. 

The race was in Alpine.  It was FREEZING!  I met some new friends there, which was good, since I was afraid I would be all alone running by myself.  I did run pretty much by myself but I had some friends to talk to before the race started while we froze! 

My time was not impressive.  I was very dissapointed in it.  (5K in 35 minutes, average of 11min miles.)  But since I was sick, and since I hadn't ran the last 3 weeks I try to not be so upset about it.  The race itself was alot of fun.  I had a good time.  I am thinking about signing up for their half marathon which will be in Oct I think in Park City.  Time will tell.  I need to get running more. 

Saturday I had one hip that was really sore.  By Sunday, I was moving so slow and didn't want to bend over and pick up anything.  At church I asked Robert to hand me my bag.  My hips hurt, my ankles, my shins...  I felt like I walked like an old arthritic person. 

The race I did was the Pink Series, for breast cancer.  It is an all women race, and they had I think 6 firemen in their firesuits on the bottom and a white shirt and pink tie on, with their hats.  I tried to put my picture on here of it but it says the server refused it.  Go figure!

My next race is the Dirty Dash, on June 3rd, and I have a race entry already paid that no one is using.  Anyone interested?  It's a 5K at Soldier Hollow with obsticles to run through as well.  Sounds like fun.  Check out their website.