Running with Mono

Two weeks ago, I found the reason I had been feeling so crappy lately: I have mono. Mono is a virus that is transmitted primarily through saliva- sharing drinks, meals, etc. Once you get mono, the virus is always in your system, but it is just inactive. It can be reactivated through physical exertion, compromising the immune system, and high stress. People that are infected with mono typically are exhausted all the time; and the only real remedy is lots and lots of sleep and rest. It can last from weeks to months and the severity of the symptoms range greatly.

It's affecting my running- I can't run on flat roads!

According to my blood test, this is the second time I have had mono, however I cannot remember when I would have had it the first time! My guess is that I got it reactivated either right before my CCC race (I was sick ALL raceweek) or the race pushed my immune system and bodily stress over the edge with the lack of sleep, physical exertion, weather, etc. The lines are blurry between race fatigue and mono fatigue, so I am unsure as to when I got it. However, my doctor said anywhere from four weeks ago to 2.5 months ago. I also apparently have Lyme disease, which is bacterial infection most commonly transmitted by tick bites (guess I should go bushwacking to find new trails!). It can be cured by early treatment of doxycycline antibiotics, but it also causes great fatigue. So, in short, there is a small party of virus and bacteria in me that is raging so hard I need to sleep all the time.

My heart was happy here

My best friends

I don't have too drastic of symptoms though. I'm tired, mostly in the afternoon, but with naps and long nights of sleep I'm fine. I can handle my schoolwork and my training and work. If I do too much in a day without much of a break then I get super fatigued, but I am exercising the concept of listening to my body. If I feel like I am digging myself in a hole or my run feels like more of a drag, then I will just turn around and wait for another day. Two wednesdays ago I was supposed to do mile repeats hard with a HR monitor to see where I was at. I only did 3/4 of the ones assigned. The third one was so much slower and I was so spent by then. During my recovery jogs in between I literally felt like I was going to fall asleep. So I stopped and just did my cool down. Thursday I did not run. I was so stressed and had three big tests spread over an 8 hour period of straight class & lab. It just wasn't going to happen when I got out of class at 8pm. All that weekend I was so exhausted and didn't have the time to run the miles given with all the sleep I needed.

These fall colors, unreal!

This past week I put in all my required miles, which felt like such an incredible accomplishment! However, my wednesday workout was again crap. But I am working on that! This weekend I took a little getaway to Tahoe. After work on Saturday night I drove up to the mountains and crashed on Rory Bosio's couch (She is the most generous and sweetest!). She had just finished a hospital shift so she spent the day sleeping in and other activities while I joined my coach Meghan Arbogast and Mark for a run. It was a lovely "22" miles (garmin read 21- were calling it 22) from Spooner lake, up to Marlette Lake, through the aspens to Snow Valley Peak, then back along the TRT course to Spooner.
My heart was soaring with happiness to run through the lovely trees, the fall colors, the glistening lake and smooth granite. I danced through the first 13 miles smiling, laughing, and skipping along.  However, I hit a wall of exhaustion. I normally never feel any fatigue from the altitude, but this was definitely due to my compromised immune system. My legs were fine, but I felt like I was sleepwalking at some points! It was a fabulous day and I loved running with Meghan. The next morning, I got to do a short loop in Rory's backyard up Donner pass and it was great! I felt way better and like I could do that loop again and again. It was sad to leave the mountains and head back to SLO, but it is like I am emotionally recharged.

Meghan charging ahead

Queen on her throne

It's hard because I have so many goals and obviously want to be the best I can be in several areas- school, running, and my job. It's hard that I am not consciously in control, my immune system is. I can't force myself to study for more than four hours at a time, which sets me back in the competition for As. My workouts, which before gave me such joy and accomplishment, are crap and a struggle. My long runs aren't all that long and I grow more tired as the miles go on. However, I guess this can be a sort of character building experience. It is so emotionally vexing to not be in control and frustrating to be trying so hard, but to no avail. It is also hard to deal with since I have not done anything in terms of causing injury, but I guess abide by time. A lesson in patience, which I am so bad with. I'll give it my best effort, but I guess eventually it will show.

Anyone up for a swim?

Trail Runner Diaries #2

Dear Diary,

This week has been AWESOME! I KILLED my workouts, and by killed, I mean obliterated.  I felt great all week and put in some solid miles.

then BAM! today sucked. It was the last running day of the week so naturally, it was supposed to be long. I planned on running about 13.5-14 miles.  Then when i got out to the track and met up with my teammates, I just had the feeling I wasn't on top of my game.

I was tired, it was already super hot at 9 am, and I had a rough night last night. Not the best recipe for a long run...

So we start out, super easy pace, Poly Canyon loop first. (I was going to add on after since its only a 9 mi loop).

I thought to myself that its just the beginning of the run; I just need to shake it off; I just need to get over the "warmup" hills.  (Note: these hills SUCK. The ground is super uneven from the rain season, which made the trail into a mud pit. With the cows constantly walking around in it, their hoof prints eventually dried into a broken-ankle causing, treacherous, work every muscle in your lower leg, kind of a trail.)

Then we got to the highest point, three miles in and fully sucking. We start downhill and before you know it, both my feet "fall asleep"! (Something I have no idea why it happens, but it just does!)

To save you from the dreary boredom of going through my whole run, I'll abbreviate it: I only did Poly Canyon loop and ended the day with just nine miles.

I am disappointed in myself that I hit the wall at every step and couldn't complete what I had set out to do. However, an important lesson here is listening to my body and being PATIENT! I need to realize that I am not super woman and cannot do everything, yet. I am still in the building phase; it is still the preseason. If my body is telling me that I need to stop, I need to realize that pushing farther will do more harm then good.

Now, this isn't just a free pass to skimp out all the time. If in the middle of a workout I all of a sudden "get tired" or its "so so hard," I need to push through the pain cave walls then! That is when the magic happens and fitness occurs. But on a regular training run at the end of a long week, yes, I can take a little break.

Well, that's all for now.
xox Kelsie

PS GO NINERS!