First off: I had a GOOD run today! More on that in a bit.
Day started badly as I woke up with a sore-throat, stuffy nose, and something at the back of my nose I couldn't move. But my body didn't feel like I'm getting a cold or flu or anything, so...
Went to my CF doc's office for a checkup, see how well the Levaquin's been working. Good news is, I feel somewhat better than three weeks ago and that's what counts most; bad news is, my numbers (on the PFTs) have gained only slightly (FEV1 is up to 1.84 from 1.76) and I've lost three pounds. :( More good news is that by using an aerosol chamber with my albuterol, the doc and nurse believe I get a better delivery of my albuterol - we tried this in the office during the PFTs today. I have to agree; seems to be worth carrying around this extra little plastic tube if it will help make the same medicine more effective. So-so news: I'm probably going to be put on Zithromax (azithromycin). It is a macrolide antibiotic that also has antiinflammatory effects. It has the ability to penetrate the biofilm that my P. Aeruginosa uses to protect itself in the lungs. But we have to wait for the cultures to cook and make sure there aren't any -- somethings. I forget what. And we also talked about getting me on IVs next week, again dependent on what the cultures say. The fact is, my lung function hasn't bounced back to the benchmark and as it's affecting my running, it makes using the running as physical therapy less effective. Next visit, they plan to do glucose stress testing (Cystics often turn diabetic) and an exercise stress test. I think I'll ace the latter. ;)
So I'm left with basic options: no IVs and continue to be unable to really work out, or go on IVs or whatever else - possibly adding MORE pills permanently to my routine - and hopefully see my running return to what it should be. This is the rock and this is the hard place.
Moving on.
After the appointment this morning, I dumped my stuff at NYRR and did a loop of the park. My mental prep was all about not worrying about the physical, and to focus on just keeping moving foward with as few (and hopefully no) walk breaks as possible. I am happy to say that I walked a total of maybe 60 feet and those were more a matter of slowing down to to increase the accuracy of my spitting and not get it on me! So. I ran six miles today - slowly - but with no stops, no real walks! I did chicken out and cut Cat Hill out of the route by exiting the park at 72nd and running up the sidewalks to 89th. How hard could 17 blocks of pedestrian-filled, stroller-clogged, fat-person-barricaded, cobblestone-paved sidewalk be?
I wish I'd tackled Cat Hill.
I did notice during that last mile that my breathing was 2-in, 2-out without triggering coughing. This isn't necessarily good, since it was all on flat terrain - my body is too stressed to keep a 2-in, 3-out breathing rhythm going?
At NYRR, I practically collapsed. I was (and still am) exhausted. In my lungs, it felt like I'd finished a LONG run. My legs - though a bit cranky - weren't in too much pain and felt like I'd done maybe only five miles. I slowly packed my things and the lady at the front desk actually asked me if I was OK. Did I look that bad?
I headed over to Super Runners Shop to try to track down a new pair of NB 991 B shoes. They didn't have any in stock, but did call another store to bring over a pair in a few days. (The size 9s I bought at the Expo are just too long, so I need new 8 1/2s.) I also asked about perhaps working there part time - as in one day a week or a couple of half-shifts - you know, to keep in touch with the running peeps...but they weren't too keen on that. They're looking for full-time people.
I've indulged in some POM today and after wolfing down three servings of oatmeal, I'm looking forward to a long, hot shower. I have a 12-mile run scheduled for Sunday and it's supposed to be very cold. I hope it doesn't turn into sheer torture.
BTW, anybody doing Manhattan half? It's in January this year!
2 comments:
glad to hear about a good run. despite your ongoing lung problems! hopefully you'll get these under control in the next little while...
btw, that manhattan half came out of nowhere. i got an email this week asking my opinion (as part of a poll) whether i'd prefer the manhattan half to be run on the streets instead, from the park to downtown. i gave a definite yes, and then all of a sudden get an eflash that it's in 3 weeks, and in the park. i guess they're thinking about next year's event, but i was annoyed to lost manhattan. (especially since i don't run the saturday ones, the manhattan half was a good one for me!)
Yeah, it did come out of nowhere. It was scheduled as a "20K" originally, but without a linked event page. I take it the 20K fell through - or the sponsor did, so they went with moving the Manhattan half up.
I, too, would like a cross-city run, rather than two-and-change loops of the park. But se la vie. I think I'll do it as part of my planned 14 or 15-miler for that weekend. If the timing all works out right this year, I might actually be able to do more than two half-marathons in the Grand Prix.
(Remember last year Brooklyn was first and was what began the Rundown. Staten Island was last. I missed the three in between due to injury.)
thanks for the good wishes for my lungs.
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